(PAGASA 24-HOUR PUBLIC WEATHER FORECAST as of Tuesday, 21 October 2025) At 3:00 AM today, the center of Tropical Storm "RAMIL" was estimated based on all available data at 355 km West Northwest of Dagupan City, Pangasinan or 340 km West of Sinait, Ilocos Sur (17.4°N, 117.3°E), with maximum sustained winds of 65 km/h near the center and gustiness of up to 80 km/h. It is moving Northwestward at 25 km/h. Localized Thunderstorms ang makaapekto sa rehiyon sa Caraga.


TOP STORIES – Saturday, 17 February 2024

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

As of 4:00 p.m., Saturday, 17 February 2024

Filipino fishermen fetch MV Kapitan Felix Oca at a designated rendezvous point in the West Philippine Sea on December 11, 2023.  Michael Varcas / The Philippine STAR
 1. WEST PHL SEA:

-More PCG, BFAR vessels to be deployed in Bajo De Masinloc to protect fishers vs China

-BFAR: China using cyanide to ‘intentionally destroy’ Bajo de Masinloc

-PH, China exchange radio challenges in WPS anew

-Chinese ships block passage to Ayungin Shoal as PH holds another resupply mission

[ABS-CBN News, GMA News, Philstar, Business Mirror, Inquirer, Manila Bulletin, Manila Times, Manila Standard]

https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2024/02/17/2334035/more-pcg-bfar-vessels-be-deployed-west-philippine-sea

2. SC nixes WPS oil pact with China, Vietnam

[Manila Standard, Daily Tribune, Inquirer, Manila Bulletin, Remate]

https://www.manilastandard.net/news/314417544/sc-nixes-wps-oil-pact-with-china-vietnam.html

3. PBBM signs new laws on state universities' upgrading, new medical school

[GMA News, Inquirer, Manila Bulletin, News5PH]

https://mb.com.ph/2024/2/17/pbbm-signs-new-laws-upgrading-state-universities-establishing-college-of-medicine-program-1

4. PBBM vows to finish land reform program started by dad

[Inquirer, Manila Bulletin, Philstar, Manila Times, Abante Tonite, People’s Tonight]

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1905687/marcos-fears-ghosts-if-land-reform-idled

5. PIRMA head faces Senate contempt raps

[Philstar, Manila Bulletin, Daily Tribune]

https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2024/02/17/2334033/pirma-head-faces-senate-contempt-raps

6. Military personnel banned from using TikTok

[Philstar, Abante, GMA News, Manila Times]

 https://www.manilatimes.net/2024/02/17/news/ph-military-bans-use-of-tiktok-among-uniformed-personnel/1932903

7. Prosecutors push arson charge vs director Jade Castro, companions

[GMA News, Rappler, ABS-CBN News]

https://www.rappler.com/philippines/prosecutor-pushes-arson-charge-director-jade-castro-companions

© Philippine Information Agency Monitoring Unit