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.
last updated:
29 November, 2024

Death row survivor jailed after return to Philippines

Mary Jane Veloso received a last-minute reprieve from execution in 2015 after being sentenced to death for drug trafficking in Indonesia  

Hong Kong property

Hong Kong outshines Singapore as demand for flexible office space grows: report

South China Sea

Philippines and India hold first maritime talks – are rows with China at play?

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Malaysia

Malaysia’s marginalised Sabah sea nomads left homeless after security crackdown

The indigenous Bajau Laut have been living in wooden homes built over water in what have been gazetted as a marine park.

Young Bajau Laut children paddling a boat near stilted houses off the coast of Borneo near Tun Sakaran Marine Park. Photo: Shutterstock
Indonesia

Death row Filipino arrives home from Indonesia – then goes straight to jail

Mary Jane Veloso just wants to spend Christmas with her family. She has been imprisoned since 2010 on drug trafficking charges.

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South China Sea

China permits Philippine ship to deliver supplies to Second Thomas Shoal outpost

The move appears to be rare act of de-escalation as Beijing and Manila continue to clash over territorial disputes in South China Sea.

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South China Sea

‘China will take what it wants unless we push’: Manila-Tokyo deal to spark tensions?

The deal strengthens defence ties between the nations, but analysts warn it could entangle the Philippines in Japan’s regional security role.

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Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro (left) and Foreign Secretary Enrique Manalo (centre) pose with Japanese Ambassador to the Philippines Kazuya Endo in Manila on December 5, after the countries signed an agreement for Japan to provide coastal surveillance radar to Manila. Photo: Kyodo
Human trafficking

Hopes high Mary Jane Veloso will get clemency upon her return to Philippines

Veloso, who was sentenced to death in Indonesia in 2010, is set to fly to Manila on Wednesday as her supporters fight to see her freed.

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South China Sea

South China Sea: why Philippines’ new legal case against Beijing may fall flat

Instead of filing a new arbitration case against China, analysts suggest the Philippines use alternative strategies, including a judicial review of the 2016 ruling.

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China-Philippines relations

Will China capsize the Philippines’ ‘most powerful coastguard’ ambitions?

Manila plans to add dozens of ships over the next few years. But experts doubt that will unnerve the world’s largest coastguard fleet.

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A Chinese coastguard ship shadows a Philippine vessel on patrol in the South China Sea. Photo: AFP
Asia elections

Will AI enhance or undermine Asia’s elections?

Deepfakes and disinformation aside, artificial intelligence also holds the potential to strengthen electoral integrity, a new report says.

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AI is already revolutionising Asia’s elections and politics, changing how campaigns are run and reshaping the electoral process. Photo: Shutterstock
Old Hong Kong

When a Dior-clad socialite killed her lover, horrifying Hong Kong

Maria Coady was photographed with Chris Patten and rubbed shoulders with the Brunei royal family – before being jailed by a Hong Kong court.

Crime

‘Stranger than fiction’: how Alice Guo’s case grips Filipinos

The case of former mayor Alice Guo has exposed weaknesses of local agencies in dealing with security gaps linked to Chinese crime syndicates.

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Philippines Country Report

Volcano coats Philippine town in ash

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US-China relations

US conducts first ballistic missile intercept in Guam amid contest with China

Spokesman says ‘it confirmed our ability to detect, track and engage a target missile in flight, increasing our readiness to defend’.

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A Standard Missile-3 Block IIA is launched by the Aegis Guam System during the US Missile Defence Agency’s test at Andersen Air Force Base on December 10. Photo: Handout/Reuters
Rodrigo Duterte

Sara Duterte skips questioning over alleged threat to kill Philippine president

The Philippine vice-president insisted her remarks were taken out of context and said she did not trust authorities.

Ferdinand Marcos, Jnr

In Philippines, could an influential church shape the fate of VP Sara Duterte?

The Iglesia ni Cristo, known for its disciplined bloc voting, plans to protest against moves to impeach Vice-President Sara Duterte-Carpio.

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Singapore

Singapore saw 9,000 phishing takedowns, Meta says in scam centre alert

The company, which owns Facebook, WhatsApp and Instagram, said scammers in Southeast Asia were using sophisticated tactics to lure victims.

Meta has taken down more than 2 million accounts linked to scam centres in Cambodia, Myanmar, Laos and the Philippines this year. Photo: Shutterstock
Human trafficking

Philippine gambling revenue to hit record US$6 billion, despite Pogo crackdown

This year’s record revenue comes despite a crackdown on offshore gambling operators, known as Pogos, which have been linked to criminal activity.

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Asia

One of the Philippines’ most active volcanoes erupts

South China Sea

Philippines’ Marcos Jnr rejects call to send warships to South China Sea

President says such a move in response to clash with Chinese vessels in Scarborough Shoal will be provocative and seen as an escalation.

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A China Coast Guard ship (right) with the Philippine vessel BRP Datu Pagbuaya (left) near Scarborough Shoal in disputed waters of the South China Sea on December 4. Photo: Handout / National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea / AFP
Crime

Filipino couple charged with murder of police officer using a hacksaw

The murder case against the couple, who are also police officers, was filed after an alleged ‘intimate situation’ involving the victim.

Slain police officer Emmanuel De Asis. Photo: Facebook/PeterDeAsis
South China Sea

South China Sea: Vietnam reef projects may set scene for conflict with Beijing

Satellite images show potential military structures on Vietnamese features in Spratly Islands, which experts say could curb China’s advantage.

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Volcanoes

‘Sounded like a cannon’: Philippine volcano erupts, forcing villagers to flee

Authorities raised the alert level and closed schools as ashfall blanketed nearby villages.

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China-Philippines relations

China, Philippines put tensions aside to work together on gambling crackdown

The deportation of 190 individuals involved in online gambling shows bilateral cooperation is not foreclosed by the South China Sea dispute.

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China and the Philippines are cooperating to enforce a ban on offshore gaming facilities. Photo: Shutterstock
Asean

Opinion | Why Russia is finding favour in Southeast Asia once again

As Russia seeks Global South partners and the war in Ukraine drags on, Southeast Asian states are rekindling ties with the Kremlin.

Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and Russian President Vladimir Putin sit next to each other at the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok, Russia, on September 5. Photo: Roscongress Foundation via Reuters
Indonesia

Indonesia to repatriate death-row convict to the Philippines

The move comes after years of international pressure, particularly from human rights groups and the Philippine government.

South China Sea

Will Philippines’ new navy chief adopt ‘grey zone’ tactics against China?

Manila’s Navy chief suggested adopting “grey zone” tactics – coercive actions below armed conflict – which analysts say will differ from Beijing’s.

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