https://www.scmp.com/rss/505279/feed Latest news and updates on the impact of a new strain of coronavirus on the Philippines. The virus causes the disease Covid-19 and the World Health Organisation has declared the spread of the infection a pandemic. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com America’s reputation has been bruised in many parts of the world due to its actions, from destabilising uncooperative governments, overruling the mandate of newly elected foreign leaders and, in extreme cases, invading other countries. In recent years, its position has improved somewhat, not so much by its own doing but by those of its competitors and adversaries, which have shown they are not above pressuring foreign leaders, threatening outright hostilities or, as with Russia’s invasion of... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3267283/no-good-reason-us-spread-anti-vax-rumours-philippines?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3267283/no-good-reason-us-spread-anti-vax-rumours-philippines?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 22 Jun 2024 21:30:07 +0000 America’s reputation has been bruised in many parts of the world due to its actions, from destabilising uncooperative governments, overruling the mandate of newly elected foreign leaders and, in extreme cases, invading other countries. In recent years, its position has improved somewhat, not so much by its own doing but by those of its competitors and adversaries, which have shown they are not above pressuring foreign leaders, threatening outright hostilities or, as with Russia’s invasion of... https://www.scmp.com/plus/article/3267472/no-good-reason-us-spread-anti-vax-rumours-philippines?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/article/3267472/no-good-reason-us-spread-anti-vax-rumours-philippines?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 21 Jun 2024 04:11:58 +0000 Talk to the UN world tourism organisation – since January rebranded as UN Tourism – and the message is that international tourism is well on the road to recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic. But talk to tourism officials in Hong Kong, South Korea, mainland China or Thailand and the story is: not so fast. Here in Hong Kong, officials are in a sweat over the millions flitting across the border for dinner and cheap shopping in Shenzhen, and the sluggish revival in tourists coming to experience a... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3257877/global-tourism-recovering-asia-its-mixed-bag-best?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3257877/global-tourism-recovering-asia-its-mixed-bag-best?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 05 Apr 2024 21:30:26 +0000 Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr has tested positive for Covid-19, but remains healthy enough to hold online meetings, his office said on Tuesday. The Presidential Communications Office said on its Facebook page Marcos will isolate for five days. The statement did not indicate when he tested positive for the virus. “The President remains fit to carry out his duties and will be continuing his scheduled meetings via teleconference,” the statement read. ‘Massive’ manhunt for suspects of... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3243844/philippines-president-tests-positive-covid-19?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3243844/philippines-president-tests-positive-covid-19?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 04 Dec 2023 23:52:47 +0000 It has been more than three years since the World Health Organization declared the Covid-19 outbreak a public health emergency of international concern, and most of the world has rebounded from complete lockdowns to restriction-free travel. But while most countries have dropped mandates for proof of vaccination and negative test results, there are still a number that have Covid-19 entry requirements in effect. Three of those are in Asia (at the time of writing), so be sure to pay close attention... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3230251/3-asian-countries-still-have-covid-19-entry-requirements-august-2023-heres-which-ones?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3230251/3-asian-countries-still-have-covid-19-entry-requirements-august-2023-heres-which-ones?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 07 Aug 2023 11:15:16 +0000 The Philippines’ Department of Tourism said on Monday that it was terminating a contract with a local ad agency after it used stock footage from other countries in a promotional video for its new tourism campaign. The more than 90-second video was launched together with a new tourism slogan – “Love The Philippines” – last week. While there was initial excitement over the new logo and video, people on the internet started pointing out that some scenes were footage from other... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3226318/isnt-brazil-philippines-pulls-tourism-advert-using-stock-footage-other-countries?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3226318/isnt-brazil-philippines-pulls-tourism-advert-using-stock-footage-other-countries?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 03 Jul 2023 02:35:26 +0000 Hongkonger Garry Yau, a 48-year-old executive at a mainland China-based real estate company, had always wanted to invest in another flat in Southeast Asia. But most markets in the region gave him sticker shock. However, an opportunity came along when he discovered that with an outlay of about HK$2.29 million (US$292,000), he could buy three residential units in two popular urban districts in the Philippines that checked the boxes for his investment needs. Among the main considerations were that... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3225173/hongkongers-snap-flats-philippines-lured-cheap-prices-and-economic-outlook-despite-rising-interest?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3225173/hongkongers-snap-flats-philippines-lured-cheap-prices-and-economic-outlook-despite-rising-interest?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 25 Jun 2023 04:00:18 +0000 Rising Covid-19 cases are threatening to overstrain Malaysia’s crowded hospitals and the Philippines reopened its coronavirus treatment wards amid a surge in Southeast Asia, underscoring the need for governments to adjust to the disease’s ebb and flow in a world now living with the virus. More than 70 per cent of government hospital beds in Malaysia were occupied as of April 29, up more than 20 percentage points from a week earlier, and authorities have appealed to anyone testing positive to... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3219369/fear-covid-19-patients-straining-southeast-asia-hospitals-returns-cases-soar?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3219369/fear-covid-19-patients-straining-southeast-asia-hospitals-returns-cases-soar?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 04 May 2023 10:00:22 +0000 A number of Asian nations are reporting an uptick in Covid-19 infections as the region treats the virus as endemic, with the fresh wave exerting limited pressure on healthcare systems. Singapore’s infections almost doubled in the final week of March to the highest this year, data from the Ministry of Health showed. India reported its biggest single-day tally since late-August, while Indonesia’s daily caseload is near a four-month high and Vietnam is ramping up virus prevention measures. While... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3216930/coronavirus-fresh-mild-covid-wave-rippling-through-asia?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3216930/coronavirus-fresh-mild-covid-wave-rippling-through-asia?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 13 Apr 2023 08:59:01 +0000 By day, 39-year-old Demai Granali plans events and handles social media as a public relations manager at a start-up marketing agency in Manila, Philippines. When she comes home after a long day to her husband and kids, she’ll clean, do her share of “mummy duties,” and then sign into her second unofficial job running a Facebook group for about 13,000 fans of the South Korean K-pop band BTS. Granali created Titas of BTS in 2020, during the stage of the pandemic when everyone was locked down and... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3205989/bts-army-now-consists-titas-or-aunties-philippines-who-are-taking-social-media-storm?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3205989/bts-army-now-consists-titas-or-aunties-philippines-who-are-taking-social-media-storm?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 08 Jan 2023 01:00:21 +0000 Like thousands of homeless people in the Philippine capital Manila, Maricel Abawag and her son used to sleep on flattened cardboard boxes laid out on footpaths. Then they got a pushcart. Pushcarts, known as karitons, are a common sight in the city of more than 13 million people. Often made from scraps of wood, the human-powered carts are used as shelter, storage and a source of income, such as collecting trash to sell to recyclers. Abawag, 44, received her pushcart in November 2020 from a... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3201914/manilas-homeless-find-shelter-pushcarts-are-used-storage-income-source?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3201914/manilas-homeless-find-shelter-pushcarts-are-used-storage-income-source?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 03 Dec 2022 02:15:09 +0000 On August 22, schools in the Philippines will finally reopen their doors to students after two and a half years – one of the longest pandemic-induced school closures in the world. As well as devastating the individual prospects of countless children, the extended hiatus is threatening to leave long-term scars on an economy historically reliant on sending high-skilled workers abroad. Protracted school closures worsen basic literacy standards and will likely reduce the productivity and earnings of... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3188659/one-longest-school-closures-world-threaten-philippine?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3188659/one-longest-school-closures-world-threaten-philippine?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 12 Aug 2022 06:53:17 +0000 The Philippines has detected its first case of monkeypox in a person with a history of overseas travel, officials said on Friday. The announcement comes within a week of the World Health Organization (WHO) declaring the monkeypox outbreak a global health emergency. Philippine officials did not identify the gender of the person, only saying they were 31 years old and tested positive on Thursday after an RT-PCR test. The patient – who travelled to countries with documented monkeypox cases – is... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3187031/philippines-detects-first-case-monkeypox?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3187031/philippines-detects-first-case-monkeypox?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 29 Jul 2022 07:46:41 +0000 Several private clubs charging expensive membership fees have pocketed millions of Hong Kong dollars in wage subsidies from a government scheme designed to help cash-strapped smaller firms hit hard by the fifth wave of Covid-19 infections, a Post search of public records has found. According to government lists of participants in the Employment Support Scheme, the Hong Kong Golf Club, founded in 1889, obtained the largest amount of aid among these members-only groups, receiving HK$6.9 million... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3186637/exclusive-clubs-took-millions-hong-kong-dollars?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3186637/exclusive-clubs-took-millions-hong-kong-dollars?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 26 Jul 2022 12:00:24 +0000 A new wave of coronavirus infections is rapidly spreading through Asia, prompting warnings for residents from New Zealand to Japan to take precautions to slow the outbreak and help prevent healthcare systems from being overwhelmed. The renewed surge in cases, mostly of the BA.4/5 Omicron variants, provides a further challenge for authorities grappling with the economic fallout of earlier waves of the pandemic while trying to avoid extending or reintroducing unpopular restrictions. The New... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3185308/coronavirus-fresh-covid-19-wave-sweeps-asia-nz-warns-pressure?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3185308/coronavirus-fresh-covid-19-wave-sweeps-asia-nz-warns-pressure?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 14 Jul 2022 10:59:16 +0000 Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr has tested positive for Covid-19, his spokeswoman said Friday, two days after he met face-to-face with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Manila. Marcos Jnr, who was sworn into office on June 30, has cancelled in-person meetings as he recovers from a “slight fever”, press secretary Trixie Cruz-Angeles told reporters. It is not clear exactly when Marcos Jnr received the positive test result, but photos posted on his Facebook account on Thursday showed... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3184652/philippine-president-marcos-tests-positive-covid-now?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3184652/philippine-president-marcos-tests-positive-covid-now?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 08 Jul 2022 11:10:42 +0000 Incoming Philippine President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jnr will barely have time to toast his presidential victory, as a mounting set of challenges awaits him. After he is sworn in on Thursday, he will have to tackle the ongoing surge in prices of basic goods, electricity and oil, alongside a looming energy crisis and pressure from China to sign an oil exploration agreement. Other concerns include continued public transportation woes in Metro Manila, the capital region that is the heart of... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3183560/philippines-food-and-energy-crises-china-oil-deal-greet-marcos?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3183560/philippines-food-and-energy-crises-china-oil-deal-greet-marcos?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 29 Jun 2022 23:00:26 +0000 Philippine President-elect Ferdinand Marcos Jnr said China was his nation’s “strongest partner” in pandemic recovery, even as the foreign ministry filed a fresh protest against Beijing’s presence in the South China Sea. Manila’s relationship with China was “very important” and “advantageous to both countries”, Marcos said on Friday during a live-streamed event. He also pledged to pursue an independent foreign policy, while fostering people-to-people ties with Beijing. Marcos said cooperation... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3181314/marcos-touts-beijing-ties-philippines-issues-new-south?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3181314/marcos-touts-beijing-ties-philippines-issues-new-south?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 11 Jun 2022 02:30:14 +0000 Respiratory medicine specialist Xiao Guanhua thought his 36th birthday two years ago was unforgettable, as he found himself battling a mysterious, fast-spreading disease in Wuhan, in China’s Hubei province. He turned 38 on March 11 in Hong Kong, while he was with a team of mainland Chinese doctors and nurses helping with the city’s raging fifth wave of Covid-19 infections. “It’s very memorable,” said the doctor from Guangzhou, capital of neighbouring Guangdong province. “In Wuhan, we were... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3176109/now-we-know-foe-mainland-chinese-doctors-nurses?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3176109/now-we-know-foe-mainland-chinese-doctors-nurses?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 30 Apr 2022 10:30:24 +0000 Since leaving the Philippines in 2006 to work in Hong Kong, at age 19, I hadn’t really lived in my homeland. But when a short visit in 2020 stretched into 19 months, I was forced once again to become part of my hometown. And there, in the place of my ancestors, my heart was broken repeatedly as friends, acquaintances and community members succumbed to the coronavirus. Cut off from my usual creative networks, I started documenting the lives of the people I grew up with. I was as scared of... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/arts-music/article/3170815/life-philippines-amid-pandemic-recorded?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/arts-music/article/3170815/life-philippines-amid-pandemic-recorded?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 19 Mar 2022 23:45:16 +0000 Hong Kong residents are clearing out supermarkets and pharmacies, and streets are deserted amid fears of a lockdown by the authorities to carry out mandatory Covid-19 testing later this month. While the city managed to keep cases low due to restrictions including social distancing and masking, spiralling infections from an Omicron outbreak has left the health system struggling. Health authorities confirmed a record 55,000 new infections on Wednesday, while the death toll stood at 1,182. As Hong... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/article/3168961/hong-kong-battles-omicron-look-asias-lockdowns-singapores-circuit-breaker?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/article/3168961/hong-kong-battles-omicron-look-asias-lockdowns-singapores-circuit-breaker?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 02 Mar 2022 11:00:19 +0000 In India, a child with ADHD screams at the computer in front of him, frustrated to the point of seizure. In Malaysia, a child with autism stares blankly at the on-screen face of a teacher he once knew but can no longer recognise. In Hong Kong, a single mother of five special needs children breaks down in despair at the closure of schools. In the Philippines, a 12-year-old boy quietly attempts to hang himself, for the third time. These snapshots of post-Covid life – as relayed by educators across... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3168341/hong-kong-malaysia-and-india-how-online-learning?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3168341/hong-kong-malaysia-and-india-how-online-learning?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 26 Feb 2022 03:30:18 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Dominic Lumabi sits on the computer in his Manila bedroom pitting his puffer fishlike cartoon NFT characters against others. But this is not just a game – he is earning cryptocurrency to support his family during the pandemic. The source of his income is Axie Infinity, a blockchain-based play-to-earn game that exploded in popularity in developing nations such as the Philippines as Covid-19 destroyed jobs and forced many to stay home. Its fans, financial backers and creators – Vietnam-based Sky... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3167063/life-changer-or-scam-philippine-gamers-look-axie-infinity?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3167063/life-changer-or-scam-philippine-gamers-look-axie-infinity?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 15 Feb 2022 03:37:58 +0000 Erlyn, 18, stopped going to school after the death of her asthmatic brother in 2019. Her friend Daisy, now 16, lost her mother in 2017, the cause of death unclear as the poverty-stricken family had no cash for medical tests; they still blame witchcraft for their loss. Devastated and needing money, Erlyn began working as a masseuse where she met a man in his early 30s who quickly became her husband, while Daisy left home at 15 to live with her boyfriend, now husband, the same age as her and also... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3166722/teen-pregnancies-philippines-soar-young-mums-struggle?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3166722/teen-pregnancies-philippines-soar-young-mums-struggle?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 14 Feb 2022 04:00:27 +0000 New Zealand police on Thursday arrested more than 50 people and began forcefully removing hundreds of protesters camped outside its parliament building for the last three days to protest Covid-19 vaccine mandates and tough pandemic restrictions. Inspired by the truckers demonstrations in Canada, which is into its 13th day with protesters blocking two border crossings with the United States, several thousand people this week blocked streets near the parliament in capital Wellington with their... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3166465/coronavirus-new-zealand-police-clear-anti-vaccine-convoy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3166465/coronavirus-new-zealand-police-clear-anti-vaccine-convoy?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 10 Feb 2022 01:30:17 +0000 Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte is under quarantine after being exposed to a household staff member who tested positive for Covid-19, his spokesman said on Thursday. Duterte, 76, has since tested negative for Covid-19, but is “currently observing mandatory quarantine protocols”, presidential spokesman Karlo Nograles said. “The chief executive continues to work while in quarantine, and is in constant communication with the members of the Cabinet to ensure that urgent matters are addressed,”... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3165745/coronavirus-philippines-duterte-quarantine-following?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3165745/coronavirus-philippines-duterte-quarantine-following?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 03 Feb 2022 14:42:33 +0000 The Philippine presidential elections in May are likely to delay any investment decisions by investors and developers, as they wait and see if the new administration will be business-friendly, analysts said. This in turn will potentially worsen a market that is already reeling from the impact of the coronavirus pandemic. “Some investors might take a wait-and-see stance until the new president is elected,” said Joey Bondoc, associate director, research at Colliers Philippines. “Some developers... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3165664/filipinos-head-polls-fate-real-estate-market-hangs-outcome-contest-between?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3165664/filipinos-head-polls-fate-real-estate-market-hangs-outcome-contest-between?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 03 Feb 2022 06:00:24 +0000 New Zealand on Thursday announced a phased reopening of its border that has been largely closed for two years, but the travel and airline industry said much more was needed to revive the Pacific island nation’s struggling tourism sector. Vaccinated New Zealanders in Australia can travel home from February 27 without requiring to isolate at state quarantine facilities, while New Zealand citizens in the rest of the world will be able to do so two weeks later, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3165640/coronavirus-fortress-new-zealand-reopen-phases-self-isolation?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3165640/coronavirus-fortress-new-zealand-reopen-phases-self-isolation?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 03 Feb 2022 02:00:34 +0000 Singapore’s property market is likely to emerge faster than its Southeast Asian peers from the slump induced by Covid-19 as the region races to vaccinate its population, according to analysts. Vietnam is also expected to do better than most other major economies in the region. Although challenges are unlikely to go away any time soon, the region as a whole has some upside this year, with economic recovery expected to be more evident in the second half, according to Knight Frank. “Long seen as a... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3165422/singapore-clear-winner-southeast-asias-property-markets-look-emerge-covid?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3165422/singapore-clear-winner-southeast-asias-property-markets-look-emerge-covid?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 01 Feb 2022 05:00:21 +0000 Bhutan’s success in avoiding coronavirus is almost unrivalled but a rare patient death – just the kingdom’s fourth – shows more work was needed to fight the pandemic there, its leader says. The remote Himalayan nation of around 800,000 people, sandwiched between China and India, has recorded fewer Covid-19 fatalities than almost anywhere else in the world. The only places with lower official tolls are a small handful of remote Pacific islands and countries that do not publish coronavirus data,... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3165293/coronavirus-bhutan-mourns-4th-death-pandemic-australia-anxious?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3165293/coronavirus-bhutan-mourns-4th-death-pandemic-australia-anxious?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 30 Jan 2022 07:34:10 +0000 The Philippines will grant entry to visitors vaccinated against Covid-19 from February 10, its government said on Friday, in an effort to boost a tourism sector decimated by the pandemic. The archipelago nation of more than 7,000 islands had planned to reopen in December, but that was aborted over concerns about the Omicron variant. Citizens of 150 countries that have visa-free entry to the Philippines will be allowed to enter. “[This] will contribute significantly to job restoration, primarily... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3165070/coronavirus-singapore-foreign-workforce-grows-first-time?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3165070/coronavirus-singapore-foreign-workforce-grows-first-time?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 28 Jan 2022 05:23:40 +0000 When Typhoon Rai smashed into the Philippines in mid-December, the island of Siargao was among the hardest hit. The storm killed at least 405 people and left a trail of destruction in the eastern provinces of Surigao del Norte – which includes Siargao, a tourist hotspot – Bohol and Cebu. Among those affected have been James and Marja O’Donnell. When James, an Australian, first ventured to Siargao 13 years ago, the island of 150,000 people had just a handful of rustic guest houses catering to... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3164244/boom-bust-dust-how-covid-19-and-typhoon-wrecked-siargao?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3164244/boom-bust-dust-how-covid-19-and-typhoon-wrecked-siargao?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 23 Jan 2022 05:15:14 +0000 Just two days after the Philippines claimed the successful launch of its “no vax no ride” plan in the capital, the “draconian and stupid” scheme has come under fire from critics and a cabinet member has begun talking about a public apology. The scheme, which began on Monday, stops Metro Manila commuters who are not fully vaccinated from using public transport. They have to show proof of their shots before they can board trains, buses and jeeps. The region has 12.8 million people and accounts... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/article/3163974/philippines-no-vax-no-ride-scheme-banning-unvaccinated-public-transport?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/article/3163974/philippines-no-vax-no-ride-scheme-banning-unvaccinated-public-transport?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 19 Jan 2022 11:34:39 +0000 On the morning of January 7, a sound truck cruised the streets of one middle-class district in Manila’s Quezon City to alert residents of the rising number of Covid-19 cases and where they could get vaccinated. The announcer concluded by saying, “Patnubayan tayo ng Panginoon” – may God guide us. The call for divine assistance was understandable: the Philippines faces an explosion of infections, driven by the highly contagious Omicron variant, that threatens to swamp the government’s disjointed... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3163453/filipinos-fear-omicron-will-paralyse-nation-governments-focus?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3163453/filipinos-fear-omicron-will-paralyse-nation-governments-focus?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 17 Jan 2022 00:30:17 +0000 The percentage of positive Covid-19 tests have reached a record high in the Philippines, fuelling fears of a return to stricter curbs on movement and triggering a sell-off of stocks as hopes fade for a swift economic recovery. Positivity rates are rising across Asia, a warning sign as countries brace for the highly infectious Omicron variant to take hold after Delta ripped through the region last year. The positivity rate surged to 46 per cent in the Philippines on Monday – meaning more than two... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3163043/coronavirus-philippines-more-2-5-people-tested-covid-19?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3163043/coronavirus-philippines-more-2-5-people-tested-covid-19?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 12 Jan 2022 03:18:07 +0000 In 2020, Covid-19 exposed significant gaps in the financial services sector. As the virus ravaged communities, people in the informal and cash-reliant economy were the hardest hit. The cost of financial exclusion came to bear, and the bill was enormous. Billions of people around the world do not have a bank account. They don’t have access to credit, ATMs, debit cards or savings accounts. When the pandemic struck, many of them suffered greatly as governments struggled to get cash subsidies to... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/asia/article/3162604/covid-19-has-turbocharged-digital-banking-philippines-now?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/asia/article/3162604/covid-19-has-turbocharged-digital-banking-philippines-now?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 09 Jan 2022 04:30:14 +0000 The US and Japan agreed on Sunday to keep American troops within their bases as worries grew about a sharp rise in coronavirus cases in the country. The restrictions starting on Monday will last 14 days, confining US military personnel to base facilities except for “essential activities,” a statement from the US Forces in Japan said. The Japanese Foreign Ministry released the same statement. The allies will share information and cooperate on coronavirus measures, “given the extraordinary... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3162701/coronavirus-us-forces-japan-confined-bases-stem-spread-covid-19?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3162701/coronavirus-us-forces-japan-confined-bases-stem-spread-covid-19?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 09 Jan 2022 04:15:51 +0000 Hong Kong’s tough Covid-19 restrictions have led to a severe shortage of foreign domestic helpers – made stricter by Wednesday’s announcement of a temporary suspension of flights from the Philippines. Helpers who leave permanently are not being replaced quickly enough, pushing up salaries and leading to what amounts to bidding wars among potential employers. Those who go home for holidays are inevitably caught up in concern about the more transmissible Omicron variant, requiring them to undergo... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3162285/make-enough-rooms-available-hong-kong-helpers?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3162285/make-enough-rooms-available-hong-kong-helpers?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 06 Jan 2022 00:00:21 +0000 Japan will ramp up efforts to deal with a possible surge in Omicron coronavirus cases and aim to deliver oral treatment using Pfizer Inc’s drugs nationwide next month, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said on Tuesday. Kishida also said the government will decide next week whether to extend border controls, which he described as having successfully prevented infection numbers from spiking. “We’ll prepare to shift the focus of Japan’s Omicron response to domestic measures to guard against the... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3162016/coronavirus-australias-cases-stick-above-37000-day?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3162016/coronavirus-australias-cases-stick-above-37000-day?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 04 Jan 2022 02:05:16 +0000 Authorities in Singapore are looking into an impromptu gathering of New Year’s Eve revellers in Clarke Quay, The Straits Times reported. The government task force managing the Covid-19 situation said the gathering “involved some blatant breaches of safe management rules and is a potential superspreading event”. The unauthorised party of hundreds – Singapore rules cap group sizes at just five – was widely shared on social media. In pictures and video, the crowd could be seen cheering, singing and... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3161892/coronavirus-australian-pm-morrison-upbeat-despite-surging?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3161892/coronavirus-australian-pm-morrison-upbeat-despite-surging?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 03 Jan 2022 02:35:57 +0000 Australian authorities on Friday rushed to track down hundreds who attended a Taylor Swift album party in Sydney last week that has become a super-spreading event as cases in the country hit a new pandemic high for the second straight day. Covid-19 infections, including the new, more transmissible Omicron variant, have been spreading in pubs and nightclubs as social distancing curbs ease after higher vaccination levels. Despite the surge in cases, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said Australia had... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/article/3160103/coronavirus-australia-tracks-down-taylor-swift-fans-super-spreader-party?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/article/3160103/coronavirus-australia-tracks-down-taylor-swift-fans-super-spreader-party?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 17 Dec 2021 07:36:10 +0000 Travellers have been left scrambling to salvage their Christmas holidays as governments across Asia tighten their entry and quarantine rules following the emergence of the Omicron coronavirus variant. Hong Kong has been among the first to act. Since Monday it has added at least 16 countries – including Japan, Canada and Australia – to its high-risk Group A tier, meaning a 21-day quarantine period for returning residents and a complete block on non-residents. However, it is far from alone in... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/explained/article/3158010/omicron-travel-restrictions-singapore-japan-australia-india?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/explained/article/3158010/omicron-travel-restrictions-singapore-japan-australia-india?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 01 Dec 2021 07:23:41 +0000 Australian authorities on Wednesday flagged another probable case of the Omicron Covid-19 variant in Sydney as they braced for more infections after at least two international travellers visited several locations in the city while likely infectious. Officials in New South Wales (NSW), home to Sydney, said initial testing “strongly indicates” a man in his 40s, who arrived from southern Africa on November 25, had been infected with the Omicron variant and had spent time in the community. “We... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3157980/coronavirus-sydney-braces-more-omicron-cases-south-koreas?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3157980/coronavirus-sydney-braces-more-omicron-cases-south-koreas?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 01 Dec 2021 04:39:42 +0000 Singapore and Malaysia reopened one of the world’s busiest land borders on Monday, allowing vaccinated travellers to make the crossing after nearly two years of closure due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The sudden closure of the border in March last year left tens of thousands people stranded on both sides, separated from families and fearing for their jobs. As many as 300,000 Malaysians commuted daily to wealthy city state Singapore before the pandemic. Under the new arrangement, up to 1,440... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/article/3157708/coronavirus-singapore-malaysia-land-border-reopens-australia-japan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/article/3157708/coronavirus-singapore-malaysia-land-border-reopens-australia-japan?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 29 Nov 2021 02:47:48 +0000 South Korea said on Saturday it will restrict arrivals from South Africa and seven other nations over concern about a new Covid-19 variant identified in the region. The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency said that from November 28 the issuance visas for those from eight nations in southern Africa would be restricted while South Korean citizens returning from the region would be quarantined. The eight countries subject to the new restrictions are South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe,... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3157590/coronavirus-omicron-variant-fears-prompt-australia?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3157590/coronavirus-omicron-variant-fears-prompt-australia?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 27 Nov 2021 05:00:28 +0000 Singapore and Malaysia’s quarantine-free travel arrangements will expand to include the busy land border between both nations, weeks after officials said air travel would open from November 29 with six flights a day. Authorities on Wednesday announced that the land border, which served up to 300,000 daily travellers each day pre-pandemic, would also reopen from November 29 after being shut since March last year. While the air lanes are open to all vaccinated travellers, the land crossing will... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3157148/coronavirus-new-zealand-allow-fully-vaccinated-foreign?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3157148/coronavirus-new-zealand-allow-fully-vaccinated-foreign?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 24 Nov 2021 00:53:15 +0000 On January 6, 2012, the Philippines Department of Tourism unveiled a new tourism campaign: “It’s more fun in the Philippines.” It went viral. For a cyber-minute, it topped global Twitter trends and, according to the branding agency behind the slogan, “Google searches for the Philippines increased by 231% and the country’s tourist volumes hit an all-time high of 4.3 million, outgrowing leading rival market, Malaysia.” Now, almost a decade later, the archipelagic country is keen to impress on... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/article/3157088/philippines-offer-quarantine-free-travel-tourists-places?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/article/3157088/philippines-offer-quarantine-free-travel-tourists-places?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 24 Nov 2021 00:45:22 +0000 Jollibee Foods Corporation (JFC), operator of the eponymous fast food chain famous for its crispy fried chicken, is buying a majority stake in Taiwanese company Milkshop International Co Ltd in the Philippine company’s first foray into the bubble tea sector that could bring it closer to its goal of being one of the world’s largest restaurant businesses. JFC said its unit Jollibee Worldwide Pte Ltd is set to pay US$12.8 million for 51 per cent of Milkshop, which runs the popular tea brand... https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/3156684/jollibee-drinks-taiwanese-bubble-tea-shop-milkshop-it-ramps?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/3156684/jollibee-drinks-taiwanese-bubble-tea-shop-milkshop-it-ramps?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 21 Nov 2021 04:30:12 +0000 The Philippines will soon welcome back foreign tourists, the government said on Friday, as it prepares a partial reopening to vaccinated travellers 20 months after closing its borders to contain the coronavirus. Tourism operators across the archipelago nation famed for its beaches and dive spots have been devastated by a plunge in international visitors and restrictions on domestic travel since the start of the pandemic. The government’s Covid-19 task force has “approved in principle” the... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3156698/coronavirus-philippines-reopen-foreign-tourists-singapore?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3156698/coronavirus-philippines-reopen-foreign-tourists-singapore?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 19 Nov 2021 10:00:28 +0000 The Philippines reported an 11-month daily low in Covid-19 cases on Tuesday, even as authorities scrapped the mandatory use of face shields. The Department of Health said only 849 new Covid-19 cases were recorded on Tuesday, pushing the country’s total caseload to more than 2.81 million. The daily tally was the lowest since December 2020, but the department said it was “largely due to the regular low testing output coming from the weekend.” The death toll was up by 99, to 45,808, the department... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3156313/coronavirus-philippines-cases-hit-11-month-low-new?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3156313/coronavirus-philippines-cases-hit-11-month-low-new?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 17 Nov 2021 01:25:42 +0000