Philippines Now A Net Exporter Of Crabs And Ampalaya (Bitter Gourd)

MANILA, Philippines (The Adobo Chronicls, Manila Bureau) – There may be a short supply of inexpensive finger chiles (sili), galunggong (mackerel scad) and high quality rice in the Philippines, but the country welcomes the new year 2020 with some encouraging economic news.

The National Economic Developmnt Authority, along with Agriculture and Fisheries officials have announed that the Philippines is now a net exporter of crabs and bitter gourd (ampalaya).

In a joint statement, the top officials said that the country is now experiencing an oversupply of Filipinos who are helplessly bitter and who constantly display crab mentality.

Citing data, NEDA said that that the country’s oversuply of crabs and ampalaya has reached an  estimated 5% of the total population.  The numbers are consistent with the latest Pulse Asia survey showig that 5% of Filipinos do not approve of President Rodrigo Duterte.

Many Filipinos welcomed the great economic news by saying that never have Philippine exports been seen as “good riddance.”

Here’s to a prosperous New Year for the Philippines!

Vera Files’ Ellen Tordesillas Can’t Find The Facts, Tweets U.S. Senators

MANILA, Philippines (The Adobo Chronicles, Manila Bureau) – We’ve all been waiting for Vera Files to fact-check news reports that the 2020 Appropriations Acts recently signed by President Donald Trump included a provision that would ban the entry into the U.S. of Philippine officials and others responsible for the alleged wrongful detention of Senator Leila De Lima. We’re all still waiting.

Now we know why: the Facebook fact-checker cannot find the facts, as she admitted in a tweet sent to Senators Dick Durbin and Patrick Leahy, proponents of the supposed ban. Will Vera Files soon tag the news reports as fake?

We can’t really expect the other fact-checker, Rappler, to be checking these reports because of a conflict of interet.  The online news source earlier reported that the U.S. Senators had also urged the Philippine government to drop all criminal charges against its CEO, Maria Ressa.  We’ll let Vera Files fact-check that too.

 

Donald Trump Apologizes To Rodrigo Duterte Over Signed 2020 Budget

WASHINGTON, D.C. (The Adobo Chronicles) – Donald Trump has personally apologized to Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte over the big controversy surrounding the U.S. President’s signing of the 2020  Appropriations  Acts.

Trump apparently signed the voluminous bill documents without realizing they included a provision  that would deny entry into the U.S. of Philippine officials and others responsible for the alleged wrongful detention of Opposition Senator Leila De Lima.

Amid the confusion in news media reports on whether or not such a provision existed in the signed bills, Trump said “I would never move to deny U.S. visas  to my good friend Rody and his henchmen.”

In reacting to the conflicting news reports, Duterte had ordered the banning of U.S. Senator Patrick Leahy and Dick Durbin from entering the Philippines.  The Democratic Senators authored a committee resolution demanding the immediate release of De Lima and — supposedly — the dropping of all criminal charges against Rappler CEO Maria Ressa.

The Philippine President has also threatened to require visas to all U.S. citizens visiting his country.

In his apology, Trump again reiterated his invitation for Duterte to visit the White House. “No visa needed,” he said.