At least 24 people have been killed in landslides and flooding across central and southern Philippines, authorities said Monday, after tropical storm Megi dumped heavy rain and disrupted travel ahead of the Easter holidays.More than 13,000 people fled to emergency shelters as the storm pounded the region Sunday, the national disaster agency said, flooding houses, inundating fields, cutting off roads and knocking out power.The central province of Leyte was among the hardest hit, with landslide

The Philippines-China friendship, mutual understanding, and cooperation have withstood the test of time.

It is interesting that a day before the commencement of the Balikatan Exercises 2022, a report came out which was sensationalized to a considerable degree by the mainstream media about the “close distance manoeuvring” by a China Coast Guard vessel towards a Philippine Coast Guard ship patrolling the Scarborough Shoal in the West Philippines Sea on 2 March, 2022. The timing is quite interesting and thought-provoking.

The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) has accused its Chinese counterpart of steering one of its ships within metres of a Filipino patrol vessel in the disputed South China Sea (SCS), breaking international rules and risking a collision.The incident happened on 2 March near the contested Scarborough Shoal – one of the region's richest fishing grounds and a flashpoint between the two countries – but was only made public Sunday.It was the fourth time in the past year that a Chinese coastguard v

As the May 2022 Presidential Election draws near, with the impending change of administration in the Philippines, there have been different views and perspectives on how Philippine foreign policy should adjust to the changes in the strategic environment underpinned by the United States (US)-China geopolitical competition in the Indo-Pacific region and the US-Russia geopolitical tussle in Eastern Europe amid the Ukraine crisis. Indeed, the rivalry and competition of major powers, more

Thousands of people fled their homes near a Philippine volcano Saturday after an eruption sent ash and steam hundreds of metres into the sky.Taal volcano, which sits in a picturesque lake south of Manila, exploded with a "short-lived" burst at 7:22 am (2322 GMT), the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology said in a statement.It warned further eruptions were possible, which it said could trigger dangerous, fast-moving volcanic flows of gas, ash and debris, as well as a ts

Thousands of supporters turned out in the northern Philippines Friday as the eldest son of presidential election favourite Ferdinand Marcos Junior launched a campaign for Congress.Ferdinand Alexander Marcos, nicknamed "Sandro", is running for elected office for the first time in a bid to strengthen the family's stranglehold on power in Ilocos Norte province where they already hold most of the top posts.Opinion polls show his father – himself the son of former dictator Ferdinand

Philippine social media has exploded with support for presidential election favourite Ferdinand Marcos Junior, driven by a massive misinformation campaign aimed at revamping the family brand and smearing his top rival.False and misleading claims have flooded Facebook, YouTube, TikTok and Twitter in the lead-up to the 9 May polls, pounding Filipinos with a relentless barrage of propaganda on platforms where they rank among the heaviest users in the world.Voter surveys show the son and namesake

The Philippines and the United States (US) will kick off the largest-ever joint military drills in the archipelago nation next week, US officials said Tuesday, showing off their strong defence ties in the face of growing Chinese assertiveness.Nearly 9,000 Filipino and American soldiers will take part in the 12-day war games on the main island of Luzon, which are usually an annual affair but were cancelled or curbed during the pandemic.The exercises, which start on 28 March, will cover among o

The Philippines on Monday eased restrictions to allow foreign ownership of airline, telecommunications and shipping operators, as it seeks to boost jobs and spur activity in the virus-hit economy.The archipelago nation has long struggled to attract foreign money, as red-tape, corruption and political uncertainty scared off investors who instead pumped billions of dollars into neighbouring nations.The amendments to the 85-year-old Public Service Act are the latest effort to woo foreign investm