HEADS UP: Eraserheads Raymund Marasigan Clarifies What 'Not Close' Means (May 31)

Here's a Heads Up from reportr on news that you need to know today, May 31:

CULTURE EXPLAINED

• Eraserheads' ex-drummer Raymund Marasigan wants fans to know that the band members are friends, they're just not close and that's the truth that they never kept secret.
• Here's what the Eraserheads' producer said about their split after ex-frontman Ely Buendia broke fans' hearts when he said that the hit song 'Minsan' was about another set of friends from UP and not his bandmates.

HAPPENING TODAY:

• President Rodrigo Duterte is due to announce today nationwide quarantine classifications that will take effect tomorrow. Health Sec. Francisco Duque said a shift to the lowest restrictions, MGCQ, for the NCR Plus Bubble was unlikely.
• It’s the last week of sessions before the Senate and the House adjourn until the SONA in July. We are watching progress of “economic cha-cha” or efforts to allow more foreign ownership of business
• Tropical Depression Dante nears Eastern Mindanao, threatening rains, as the country crosses into the wet season from summer.
• We are monitoring China’s reaction to the Philippines’ latest protest over the West Philippine Sea. Why is this significant? Chinese ships were spotted off Pag-Asa Island, the largest Filipino-occupied feature in the Spratlys, with mostly civilians.

NEWS EXPLAINED

• Here’s your guide in pictures to Pag-Asa Island, the Philippines’ stronghold in the West Philippine Sea and where Chinese ships were spotted lately.

NEWS YOU CAN USE

• We compiled several bargains for Lazada’s 6.6 sale so yan can budol smart this weekend.
• The government released what is said was simpler rules for the A4 vaccine priority group, who are next in line for COVID jabs.
• Taguig is offering home vaccinations for the bedridden. Here’s how to book one.

NEWS YOU NEED TO KNOW

• Vietnam said it discovered a hybrid of the British and Indian COVID variants that spreads more quickly by air.
• Nonito "Filipino Flash" Donaire reclaims his WBC bantamweight title after knocking out France's Nordine Oubaali.
• The vaccine lotteries just got more lucrative. In the Villar’s bailiwick of Las Pinas, the family will raffle off a house and lot to battle vaccine hesitancy.
• Comelec Commissioner Rowena Guanzon urged government to vaccinate poll workers who are preparing for the May 9, 2022 elections.
• JuanBag, a social enterprise, is converting plastic wraps that are mostly from mindless online shopping into reusable bags.