The Philippines
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The Philippines

The Philippines
The Philippines
Latest news, in-depth features and opinion on the Philippines, covering politics, economy, society, and Manila’s relationships with China and its Southeast Asian neighbours.
Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr speaks at Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City on April 9. Photo: RTVM
Ferdinand Marcos Jnr

Philippines denies health scare after Marcos appears to bleed from gums in video

Speculation about the president’s health was fuelled by footage of Marcos speaking with what looked like blood in his mouth during a speech.

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Gender

Philippine politician’s remarks spark misogyny row

South China Sea

Philippines completes South China Sea resupply run without a hitch

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Asean

My Take | Is Trump’s tariff reprieve a false dawn for small Asian nations?

Trump’s tariff pause offers Asian nations a glimmer of hope, but uncertainty looms, as trade talks could squeeze low-income economies further.

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Vietnamese garment factory workers stitch apparel at a factory in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: AFP
Millionaires and billionaires

Murder of Chinese-Filipino businessman fuels crime fears in the Philippines

The ‘brutal’ murders of businessman Anson Que and his driver have reignited urgent calls for authorities to crack down on crime syndicates.

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Fashion

The Philippines’ 4 Miss Universe wins as Netflix’s A Queen’s Runway debuts

Netflix documentary considers why the Philippines is so obsessed with beauty contests. We recall the four Filipino winners of Miss Universe.

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Rodrigo Duterte

Whistle-blower says Hong Kong dinner cooked plot to undercut Marcos government

A scheme to discredit the Philippine president through a doctored video of him using drugs was reportedly planned at Yung Kee Restaurant in Hong Kong.

A scheme to undermine the Ferdinand Marcos Jnr government was allegedly revealed at the Yung Kee Restaurant in Central. Photo: Felix Wong
Food and Drinks

There’s no Jollibee in Korea but this fried chicken joint is very close

Members of Seoul’s Filipino community are lauding FRYb’s chicken dishes for giving them a taste of Jollibee nostaglia. We paid it a visit.

Australia

Australia boosts Philippines’ South China Sea defence with 20 drones

Australia’s gift comes days after a near-collision between Philippine and Chinese coastguard vessels in the South China Sea.

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Asian cinema

Filipino filmmaker Lav Diaz on Slow Cinema, and nearly dying

Slow Cinema’s Diaz, known for extremely long movies, often about death, talks about his unique directing style and surviving the Trump era.

A still from Death in the Land of Encantos (2007).
Volcanoes

Video | Kanlaon Volcano erupts in Philippines

Philippines’ Kanlaon Volcano erupts, spewing ash 4km high
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South China Sea

South China Sea: is Beijing’s code of conduct ‘milestone’ progress or a tactic?

In all likelihood, the negotiations will be kicked further down the road just as in the past, analyst says.

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Volcanoes

Volcano erupts in central Philippines, spewing ash 4km high

Social media footage captured the dramatic ascent of the massive ash plume as Kanlaon Volcano on Negros Island roared back to life.

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Rodrigo Duterte

Philippine politician’s ‘sleep with single mums’ remarks spark misogyny row

The action against Christian Sia is ‘a test case’ on the use of sexually charged remarks while campaigning, elections commission says.

Christian Sia at a campaign rally. Photo: Facebook/Christian “Ian” Sia
India

Letters | Why India is both world’s happiest place and No 118 behind Ukraine

Readers discuss the widely varying results of different global happiness surveys, Duterte’s arrest by the ICC, and waste reduction at the Hong Kong Sevens.

People enjoy the sunset along the Marine Drive promenade, one of the famous sunset spots near the Arabian Sea shore in Mumbai, India, on March 17. This year’s World Happiness Report places India at 118, behind Iran at 99, Palestine at 108 and Ukraine at 111. Photo: EPA-EFE
Asia travel

In Philippines, illegal fishermen turn ecotourism operators

Siargao islanders who used to catch fish illegally and cut down mangroves now replant the trees and run ecotours to the community’s benefit.

Rodrigo Duterte

From The Hague to home: Sara Duterte returns to Philippines for midterm clash

‘My job here is done’, Rodrigo Duterte’s daughter said before her departure from the Netherlands, where her father is in ICC detention.

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US-China trade war

My Take | The United States, not China, turns out to be the real bogeyman

The significance of Trump’s tariffs is that they have destroyed the credibility of America on which its global alliances have long depended.

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A screen showing stock prices at the end of the trading day on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange on April 4, 2025. World financial markets are continuing to react to reciprocal tariffs that US President Donald Trump implemented. Photo: EPA-EFE
South China Sea

Philippines disputes China’s arrest of alleged Filipino spies

The Philippines says the three were ordinary citizens and the arrests could be retaliation for Manila’s arrest of alleged Chinese spies.

Law

‘Limits’ to Filipino hospitality: Russian vlogger arrested over harassment

Vitaly Zdorovetskiy, 33, faces a litany of complaints lodged against him, after he filmed himself verbally abusing locals and causing a nuisance.

China-Philippines relations

Mounting China-Philippine spy cases risk rattling economic relations

Chinese firms might consider the atmosphere ‘not friendly enough’ to continue investing in the Philippines, analyst says.

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On February 25, Philippine authorities showed seized equipment and Chinese nationals, pictured in the background with alleged Philippine accomplices, arrested on espionage charges. Photo: AFP
Rodrigo Duterte

US horror writer mistaken for Duterte’s lawyer: ‘not how I wanted to get famous’

Diehard supporters of the Philippine ex-president flooded Nicholas Kaufmann’s Facebook page, demanding he bring their hero home.

American horror story novelist Nicholas Kaufmann. Photo: Facebook/Nicholas Kaufmann
China-Asean relations

China detains 3 Philippine nationals on suspicion of spying

State media publishes images of the trio being questioned by the police after Manila detained a number of alleged Chinese spies.

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South China Sea

Opinion | Why the Philippines can’t count on the US’ strategic love

The Trump administration has offered reassurances to Manila, but mixed signals and global tariffs mean there are still reasons to be wary.

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US-ally trade wars

‘Bad news for all’ as Asia hard hit by Trump tariffs, amid trade war fears

‘Disproportionately stiffer’ tariffs for the region will be detrimental to growth for export-reliant Asian economies, experts warn.

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Cargo ships are loaded with containers while docked at the port of Bangkok on Thursday. The US imposed a 36 per cent levy on Thailand. Photo: Reuters
South China Sea

Philippines offered 20 US F-16 fighter jets in major defence upgrade

Experts stress the urgent need to upgrade the Philippine Air Force due to its limited capabilities in defending against China’s military presence.

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Two US Air Force F-16 fighter jets soar over the Indo-Pacific. The US approved a sale of 20 F-16 warplanes to the Philippines, boosting its air defence. Photo: US Air Force
Asean

Southeast Asians expect more US engagement amid Trump’s tariff call: survey

Singapore, one of the US’ closest partners in the region, is the most worried about the impact of Trump’s second term, a new survey shows.

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China-Philippines relations

Sinophobia among Philippine officials? China’s travel advisory spurs reflection

The advisory comes after incidents of harassment of Chinese citizens and a series of espionage and online gaming crackdowns by Manila.

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