Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte said he may step down as early as next year once a new constitution, which will pave the way for a federal shift in government, is in place.Duterte, in a televised speech late Friday, rejected suggestions that a recently concluded review of the nation’s charter is meant to prolong his stay beyond his six-year term, which ends in 2022.“I suggest and I would like Congress to approve it – make my term co-terminus with the beginning” of a new constitution, Dut

President Rodrigo Duterte’s two years in office in the Philippines have been marred by controversy, but with one big success: a booming economy.

Marriage is a life-defining moment for a young woman. For Melody Alan, that moment came when she was 21, fresh out of college and in love.

Rodrigo Duterte’s presidency has been nothing short of controversial. Ever since he was elected as the 16th President of the Philippines two years ago, he has drawn criticism from activists and leaders the world over. Most recently, Duterte was condemned for forcibly kissing an overseas Filipina worker on the lips during a live event.This latest controversy encapsulates Duterte’s reign well – he will do what he wants, whenever he wants, regardless if the whole world is watching.

Emilio Aguinaldo was only 19-years-old when he issued a decree on 12 June, 1898 declaring the independence of the Philippines from Spain. The young revolutionary thought that a declaration of independence would inspire the people of the Philippines to unite and fight against the Spanish. Today marks the 120th anniversary of the independence of the Philippines from the Spanish after more than 500 years of colonial rule.

Just a few days before the 17th Congress of the Philippines went on break, history was made on 31 May when the Philippines senate unanimously approved the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law. Hours earlier, the House of Representatives approved its own version of the BBL bill with a 221 to 11 vote. The BBL seeks to establish a proposed new autonomous political entity known as the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region, replacing the current Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).

The capital of the Philippines; Manila is the world’s most densely populated city with 42,857 people per square kilometre. The Metro Manila population is estimated at 12 million, but the larger urban area has a population of approximately 21.3 million. As such, traffic congestion in Manila is notorious with a report by Waze revealing that drivers in the capital are the most dissatisfied in the world after the Dominican Republic and El Salvador.

Philippines is on the cusp of transformation. When President Rodrigo Duterte assumed power, he initiated the “Build! Build! Build!” project to usher in a “golden age of infrastructure” for the Philippines. The ambitious Build! Build! Build! project is estimated to cost the country US$180 billion, with over 70 projects planned nationwide. Among the planned projects is a new Manila airport terminal, Manila’s first subway system, and a 102-kilometre railway in Mindanao.

Over the past decade, the Philippines has rapidly developed into one of the region’s economic powerhouses. Now regarded as one of the Tiger Cub economies in Southeast Asia, along with Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam, the Philippines looks set to outpace its ASEAN neighbours in this respect. This is underscored by a World Bank Global Economic Prospects report released in January, where it ranked the Philippines as one of the fastest-growing economies regionally.

The Supreme Court of the Philippines ruled on Friday to remove Maria Lourdes Sereno as Chief Justice. The historic ruling was made in a special en banc session which saw the high tribunal ultimately vote 8-6 against Sereno and declare void her appointment as the country’s Chief Justice.The ruling is immediately executory but Sereno is expected to file an appeal against the decision.