(PAGASA 24-HOUR PUBLIC WEATHER FORECAST as of Thursday, 18 December 2025) Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) affecting southern Mindanao. Northeast Monsoon affecting Northern and Central Luzon. Caraga, Davao Region, Sarangani, South Cotabato, Basilan, and Tawi-Tawi will have cloudy skies with scattered rains and thunderstorms caused to ITCZ. Possible landslides or flashfloods due to moderate to at times heavy rains. Rest of Mindanao will be partly cloudy to cloudy with isolated rainshowers or thunderstorms due to Easterlies. Possible flash floods or landslides during severe thunderstorms. Light to moderate winds from the east to northeast with slight to moderate seas (0.6 to 2.5 meters).


TOP STORIES – Wednesday, 21 June 2023

TODAY’S TOP STORIES (from online and print media monitoring)

21 June 2023, Wednesday, as of 5:00 p.m.

Health Secretary Ted Herbosa gets his bivalent COVID-19 jab. Job Manahan, ABS-CBN News

1. Bivalent vaccine rollout:

-Marcos tells LGUs: Make sure vulnerable Filipinos get bivalent COVID-19 shots

-Herbosa gets first bivalent vaccine jab in NCR

[ABS-CBN News, Rappler, CNN Philippines, GMA News, Manila Times]

https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/06/21/23/philippines-rolls-out-bivalent-covid-vaccine

2. Marcos says PHL making progress in talks with China, downplays recent Chinese coast guard shadowing [Business Mirror, Philippine Daily Inquirer, Pilipino Star Ngayon, Manila Bulletin, Manila Standard, Manila Times]

https://www.manilatimes.net/2023/06/21/news/ph-making-progress-in-talks-with-china

3. Zubiri signs Maharlika Investment Fund bill [ABS-CBN News, CNN PHL, GMA News]

http://www.cnnphilippines.com/news/2023/6/21/migz-zubiri-signs-maharlika-investment-fund-bill.html

4. PBBM vows bonus for DA personnel, cites agriculture role in development  [Bulgar, Daily Tribune, Manila Standard]

https://manilastandard.net/news/national/314341950/pbbm-vows-bonus-for-da-personnel-cites-agriculture-role-in-development.html

5. Sandiganbayan junks bid to present addt'l witness testimony in Marcos ill-gotten wealth case [Abante Tonite, Manila Standard, CNN PHL]

https://www.cnnphilippines.com/news/2023/6/20/sandiganbayan-etpi-case-marcos-family.html

6. Senators reject DOH chief’s plan to hire nursing board flunkers [Philippine Daily Inquirer, Pilipino Star Ngayon, Manila Bulletin, The Philippine Star, CNN Philippines]

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1790966/senators-reject-doh-chiefs-plan-to-hire-nursing-board-flunkers

7. AFGHAN REFUGEES

-PHL decision on housing Afghan refugees seen next month

-Duterte weighs in on Afghan refugee issue

-Bishop calls for compassion for Afghan refugees

-Housing Afghans in PHL the highest form of compliance to human rights – senator

[GMA News, Philippine Daily Inquirer, Pilipino Mirror, ABS-CBN News]

https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/topstories/nation/873552/ph-decision-on-housing-afghan-refugees-seen-next-month-amb-romualdez/story/

8. Impending LRT fare hike opposed [Bulgar, Manila Bulletin, Business Mirror, Philippine Daily Inquirer]

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1790948/impending-lrt-fare-hike-opposed

9. ‘FE.1’ COVID-19 Omicron subvariant:

-FE.1 variant may cause severe COVID infections

-New Omicron sublineage FE.1 no cause for alarm –expert

[GMA News, Manila Times, The Philippine Star, Manila Standard, Manila Bulletin]

https://manilastandard.net/news/top-stories/314342004/fe-1-variant-may-cause-severe-covid-infections.html

© Philippine Information Agency Monitoring Unit

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