00:00A pleasant and thoughtful Wednesday afternoon to all. Denise Osorio here and this is PTV News Now, bringing you the stories that matter most.
00:13Let's begin with the headlines shaping the rest of our day.
00:17Senate President Francis Escudero denied allegations he is stalling the impeachment proceedings against Vice President Sarah Duterte,
00:24emphasizing the Senate is acting in accordance with the Constitution and its own internal rules, not under pressure from the House of Representatives or any individual.
00:35He questioned the urgency being imposed on the Senate, noting how the House of Representatives itself took over two months to act on the complaint.
00:45Escudero also dismissed claims he is protecting the Vice President or acting out of political interest.
00:51He maintained the impeachment process remains alive and that the Senate has not violated any constitutional provision.
00:58The Senate is expected to convene as an impeachment court and may issue a summons to Vice President Duterte on June 11, ahead of Congress' adjournment on June 13.
01:08Motorists will soon be able to check and pay for their traffic violations through the eGov PH Super App as the Department of Information and Communications Technology or DICT integrates the No Contact Apprehension Policy or NCAP system.
01:25DICT Undersecretary David Almirol Jr. announced that once the system is fully integrated, users can view and settle penalties online in the comfort of their homes.
01:39This move is part of a broader digital transformation initiative with nearly 1,000 government services including those from PhilHealth and GSIS, already linked to the eGov PH app, in line with President Marcos Jr.'s push to streamline public services.
01:57President of the United States, Donald Trump, citing national security reasons and in a desperate attempt to revive manufacturing in the Rust Belt states, ordered a 50% tariff hike on all steel and aluminum imports on Sunday, which take effect beginning today, the 4th of June.
02:16Trump's announcement of the tariff hike over the weekend sent stocks of U.S. steel companies soaring, but has brought worry and fear on consumers, auto manufacturing companies, and businesses relying on steel and aluminum over the repercussions on out-of-pocket expenditures and lower bottom lines.
02:36The sweeping tariff policy he announced on Liberation Day in April, which continues to escalate his antagonized adversaries and iced relations with perennial U.S. allies, while also setting the stage for retaliatory tit-for-tat responses from the EU and Canada, both of which expressed regret on such move with the latter calling Trump's unilateral directive illegal and unjust.
03:00That's all for this afternoon's news. Be sure to join us again later for our evening Breaking Stories edition. Stay tuned and keep informed by catching the latest updates right here.
03:12I'm Denise Osorio and thank you for watching PTV News Now.
