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Happy Friday, Rappler readers!
Davao City put its best foot forward Thursday night as it welcomed VIP guests Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and wife Akie, in a first-of-its-kind visit of a world leader to the hometown of Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte. The Japanese prime minister earlier met with the President in Malacañang, the first head of state to visit the Philippines under the Duterte administration.
But all’s not well in another part of Mindanao as the Abu Sayyaf released a video of a German that the group kidnapped late last year and is holding hostage in Western Mindanao.
And a recent Pulse Asia survey shows that more Filipinos now put “being a crime victim” as an urgent personal concern, compared to previous years.
Here are the stories you shouldn’t miss this Friday.
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and his wife Akie arrived in the Philippines on Thursday, January 12, spending time in Manila and Davao City, hometown of President Rodrigo Duterte. Abe pledged to give the Philippines $8.66 billion in aid, spread over 5 years.
The visit of the Japanese prime minister to Davao City rekindled hopes of 2nd- and 3rd-generation Japanese descendants living in the city to be finally given official recognition by the Japanese government. They’re among 300 Filipinos with Japanese blood whose records of lineage were destroyed during the war.
In confirmation hearings, US president-elect Donald Trump’s top Cabinet appointees contradicted him on strategic issues such as toughness with Russia and China, support of the Iran nuclear deal, the quest for a solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
In its World Report 2017, international rights organization Human Rights Watch warned against a new generation of authoritarian leaders such as Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte who abuse human rights and take advantage of public discontent with the status quo. The report reviews human rights practices in more than 90 countries. A recent survey in the Philippines also shows more Filipinos now fear being a crime victim compared to previous years.
The Abu Sayyaf released a video showing an elderly German sailor abducted at sea late last year is alive. The video had a stamp date of December 26, 2916 and showed photos of Jurgen Kantner.
Here’s everything you need to know about the Miss Universe 2016 pageant as more than 80 candidates from all over the world start arriving in Manila. All the events will lead up to one big night – coronation night – which will be held on Monday, January 30 at the Mall of Asia (MOA) Arena at 8 am.
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