No Filipinos were hurt in Tuesday’s car-bomb attack in troubled southern Thailand believed to have been carried out by Muslim separatists, the Philippine embassy in Bangkok said.

Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea has been designated government caretaker as President Rodrigo Duterte embarks on a weeklong round of visits to Cambodia, Hong Kong and China beginning Wednesday.

The committee on population of the House of Representatives has approved the National ID System bill.

President Rodrigo Duterte congratulated South Korean President Moon Jae-in, who took his oath of office Wednesday.

Leftists slammed Wednesday what they said was the surveillance by motorcycle-riding men of rebel peace negotiator Benito Tiamzon and his wife, peace consultant Wilma Austria, after their visit Tuesday night to farmers from Davao del Norte who had camped out at Mendiola.

Janet Lim Napoles is seeking to be transferred to the custody of the National Bureau of Investigation after the Court of Appeals absolved her of serious illegal detention charges.

The Manila Electric Co. said it is cutting power rates this month by 29 centavos per kilowatt-hour and, depending on the supply-demand situation, might implement another reduction next month.

Oil futures rose in Asian trading on Wednesday after Reuters reported that Saudi Arabia would cut supplies to the region as OPEC battles against rising US production that is threatening to derail its attempts to end a sustained global glut in crude.

The country’s manufacturing sector remains the second best performer among Association of Southeast Asian Nations members, with the Philippine Stock Exchange has turned in a performance that reflects growing market and investor confidence, presidential spokesman Ernesto Abella said.

Despite his earlier clarification of President Rodrigo Duterte’s “lobby money talks” comment in the wake of Gina Lopez’s rejection as Environment secretary, Malacanang spokesman Ernesto Abella had to repeat on Wednesday his explanation that the chief executive did not mean money changed hands.

A United Nations agency has launched an effort to craft global guidance for the use of laptops and other portable electronics in passenger aircraft cabins after selective bans by the United States and Britain upset airline passengers as well as Middle Eastern carriers.

Lapanday Foods Corp. thanked President Rodrigo Duterte on Wednesday for stressing the need to comply with legal requirements in resolving its dispute with agrarian reform beneficiaries over a banana plantation in Tagum City, Davao del Norte.

The show was canceled by Fox Television just last year after 15 seasons.

Her new job is already her second government posting in four months.

Seven more members of the Abu Sayyaf surrendered to government forces in Sulu this week, bringing the number of extremists who have given themselves up as the military pressed its offensive to 47, the Western Mindanao Command said.