https://www.scmp.com/rss/513033/feed Ferdinand Marcos Jnr, better known as Bongbong Marcos, is the 17th and current president of the Philippines following a landslide win in the 2022 election. He entered the election under the Partido Federal ng Pilipinas (PFP). Marcos is the son of former Philippine dictator Ferdinand Marcos Snr and former first lady Imelda Marcos. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Sam Beltran Sam Beltran Former Philippine vice-president Leni Robredo’s refusal to seek national office in 2028 has intensified the search for someone to unite the country’s fractured opposition against an early presidential bid by Vice-President Sara Duterte-Carpio. Robredo, President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr’s strongest rival in the 2022 election and long seen as the opposition’s most recognisable figure, said she would not run for any state position when Marcos’ six-year term ends. Her decision shifts attention to a... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3351307/can-philippine-opposition-find-saviour-after-robredo-declines-2028-presidential-run?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3351307/can-philippine-opposition-find-saviour-after-robredo-declines-2028-presidential-run?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 24 Apr 2026 10:00:34 +0000 Jean Iau Jean Iau As Southeast Asian leaders descend on Cebu in the Philippines for the 48th Asean summit on May 8, immediate concerns such as the global energy crunch will top the agenda. Yet a year-end deadline to finalise a long-delayed code of conduct in the South China Sea looms for bloc chair Manila. At a panel at Atma Jaya University in Jakarta on Thursday, Philippine Foreign Affairs Secretary Theresa Lazaro stressed that completing the code this year was “something that we owe the world as well as the... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3351289/philippines-pushes-south-china-sea-code-year-end-we-owe-it-world?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3351289/philippines-pushes-south-china-sea-code-year-end-we-owe-it-world?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 24 Apr 2026 07:59:42 +0000 Raissa Robles Raissa Robles Families of victims of former Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte’s war on drugs hailed as a “vindication” on Wednesday the International Criminal Court Appeals Chamber’s refusal to throw out the crimes against humanity case against him. Duterte has been held by the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague since March 2025 over killings linked to his anti-drugs campaign while he was in office. His lawyers argued that the court had no authority to try him because the Philippines... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3351050/icc-chamber-rules-case-against-rodrigo-dutertes-war-drugs-killings-proceed?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3351050/icc-chamber-rules-case-against-rodrigo-dutertes-war-drugs-killings-proceed?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 22 Apr 2026 14:37:40 +0000 Alan Robles Alan Robles Vice-President Sara Duterte-Carpio came under fresh pressure on Wednesday after Philippine lawmakers examining complaints that could lead to her impeachment were shown evidence of bank transactions far larger than the wealth she and her husband had publicly declared. At a House hearing, the Philippines’ anti-money-laundering watchdog said the couple’s bank records from 2006 to 2024 showed 4.4 billion pesos (US$73.2 million) in inflows and 1.5 billion pesos in outflows, despite a declared net... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3351047/philippine-lawmakers-examine-gap-sara-dutertes-bank-statements-declared-wealth?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3351047/philippine-lawmakers-examine-gap-sara-dutertes-bank-statements-declared-wealth?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 22 Apr 2026 13:38:58 +0000 Sam Beltran Sam Beltran The United States is planning to build an “economic security zone” in the Philippines to counter China’s dominance in critical technologies. The 4,000-acre (1,619-hectare) hi-tech industrial hub will reportedly be the first of its kind in the world, operating under US common law despite being on Philippine soil. Washington says it will be the first “AI-native investment acceleration hub” developed under the US-led Pax Silica initiative, a framework aimed at mobilising allied economies around... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3350708/can-us-governed-pax-silica-hub-turn-philippines-chip-powerhouse?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3350708/can-us-governed-pax-silica-hub-turn-philippines-chip-powerhouse?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 20 Apr 2026 09:00:09 +0000 Sam Beltran Sam Beltran The arrest of fugitive former congressman Zaldy Co has revived a long-stalled Philippine corruption investigation and sharpened political pressure on President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr, whom the wanted lawmaker has accused of personally benefiting from a multibillion-peso kickback scheme tied to flood control projects. Observers called Co’s arrest a “notable step towards accountability” in a case that had stalled after the collapse of the commission set up to investigate it. Co resigned from the... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3350513/arrest-philippine-ex-lawmaker-zaldy-co-missing-puzzle-piece-flood-control-probe?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3350513/arrest-philippine-ex-lawmaker-zaldy-co-missing-puzzle-piece-flood-control-probe?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 17 Apr 2026 12:30:12 +0000 Mengzhen Liu Mengzhen Liu The decades-long negotiations on a code of conduct in the South China Sea may finally come to an end this year. Several parties involved, including China and the Philippines, have expressed confidence in reaching a final conclusion to the proposed set of rules in the contested waterways in the coming months. In March, Beijing signalled its hope of concluding negotiations with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations by the end of the year while Manila has repeatedly expressed its intention to... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3349697/without-restraint-beijing-and-manila-cant-deliver-south-china-sea-code?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3349697/without-restraint-beijing-and-manila-cant-deliver-south-china-sea-code?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 16 Apr 2026 21:30:10 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr said on Thursday night that a key suspect in a corruption scandal that has sparked public outrage in the Philippines has been arrested in the Czech Republic and that efforts were under way to repatriate the former lawmaker. Zaldy Co, who resigned from the House of Representatives in September after being implicated in financial anomalies involving flood control projects, was detained by authorities in Prague after crossing into the Central European... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3350373/philippines-corruption-scandal-suspect-zaldy-co-arrested-prague-marcos-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3350373/philippines-corruption-scandal-suspect-zaldy-co-arrested-prague-marcos-says?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 16 Apr 2026 17:37:34 +0000 Alan Robles Alan Robles Former Philippine leader Rodrigo Duterte discussed removing President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr from office and even considered assassination if a supposed power-sharing deal fell apart, a jailed witness told a House impeachment hearing into Vice-President Sara Duterte-Carpio. Ramil Madriaga, a self-described political organiser, intelligence operative and bagman who said he had once been close to Duterte-Carpio, made the sensational allegations before the House Committee on Justice on Tuesday during... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3350091/jailed-witness-reveals-duterte-plotted-oust-philippines-marcos?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3350091/jailed-witness-reveals-duterte-plotted-oust-philippines-marcos?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 15 Apr 2026 01:30:15 +0000 Sam Beltran Sam Beltran Her father is in custody at The Hague, her alliance with President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr has collapsed into bitter rivalry and she is fighting to halt impeachment proceedings before the Supreme Court. Despite all of that, Philippine Vice-President Sara Duterte-Carpio is still, by a distance, the early favourite to be the country’s next president. A new survey by Manila-based pollster WR Numero found 36 per cent of Filipinos would vote for Duterte-Carpio if the 2028 election were held today – a... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3349553/sara-duterte-leads-early-2028-philippine-presidential-poll-rivals-struggle-unite?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3349553/sara-duterte-leads-early-2028-philippine-presidential-poll-rivals-struggle-unite?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 10 Apr 2026 04:00:13 +0000 Raissa Robles Raissa Robles The International Criminal Court (ICC) is expected to issue a written decision by April 28 on whether former Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte will stand trial on charges of crimes against humanity over his war on drugs. However, even if the judges decide to proceed with the trial, observers predict that the proceedings will progress at a “glacial pace”, potentially taking years to reach a ruling. Duterte, who governed the Philippines from 2016 to 2022, was surrendered to the ICC in March... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3349504/will-philippine-ex-president-duterte-stand-trial-icc-and-how-long?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3349504/will-philippine-ex-president-duterte-stand-trial-icc-and-how-long?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 09 Apr 2026 09:30:08 +0000 Jeoffrey Maitem Jeoffrey Maitem Philippine lawmakers have voiced hope that joint oil and gas exploration deals with China could proceed amid the global energy crunch, despite a former Supreme Court justice warning that accepting Beijing’s terms would be tantamount to “suicide” for Manila. Senate President Vicente Sotto III earlier this week backed President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr’s intention to resume talks with China on such ventures, given the impact of the Middle East conflict. In 2023, Marcos Jnr and Chinese President Xi... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3349350/philippine-lawmakers-call-oil-deals-china-prompts-warnings-trap?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3349350/philippine-lawmakers-call-oil-deals-china-prompts-warnings-trap?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 08 Apr 2026 06:51:15 +0000 Bloomberg Bloomberg The Philippine call centre industry is a juggernaut, employing over a million and generating billions in revenue. Its workers’ voices are a familiar sound for callers from around the world, the nation’s deep pool of English speakers underpinning the country’s rise into a global hub for customer service outsourcing. Artificial intelligence is shaping up to be a huge disruptive force but another, more insidious problem is emerging – an education system that is producing graduates who were never... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3349321/could-philippines-declining-literacy-affect-its-status-help-desk-hub?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3349321/could-philippines-declining-literacy-affect-its-status-help-desk-hub?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 08 Apr 2026 03:29:06 +0000 Sam Beltran Sam Beltran When Filipino motoring journalist James Deakin recently posted a photo of his fuel receipt – more than 4,000 pesos (US$67) after topping up on nearly 39 litres – his message to followers was blunt: “I’m seriously looking at an EV [or] hybrid now. What’s your breaking point?” He is far from alone. As the Philippines grapples with a national energy emergency triggered by the war in Iran, record pump prices are forcing consumers to rethink their transport methods, and Vietnamese electric vehicle... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3349191/why-high-fuel-costs-could-accelerate-philippines-ev-boom?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3349191/why-high-fuel-costs-could-accelerate-philippines-ev-boom?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 07 Apr 2026 00:00:15 +0000 Alan Robles Alan Robles The Philippines is weighing a new anti-disinformation law, but digital rights advocates and researchers warn that the leading proposals could give the government sweeping powers while doing little to stop the networks that actually drive online influence campaigns. In February, President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr asked Congress to prioritise 21 measures before adjourning in June, including an anti-disinformation law that he said should be “balanced” – fighting fake news while maintaining freedom of... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3348853/will-philippines-anti-disinformation-bills-empower-state-decide-truth?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3348853/will-philippines-anti-disinformation-bills-empower-state-decide-truth?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 03 Apr 2026 02:00:25 +0000 Sam Beltran Sam Beltran Manila is following its Southeast Asian neighbours’ lead by seeking talks with Iran to secure safe passage for Philippine-bound tankers through the Strait of Hormuz, a move observers have called “a matter of survival”. Philippine Foreign Affairs Secretary Theresa Lazaro posted on social media that she and energy secretary Sharon Garin had met Iran’s envoy Yousef Esmaeilzadeh on Wednesday to discuss energy cooperation and the advancement of bilateral ties. “Pleased to meet Iranian Ambassador to... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3348701/philippines-seeks-iran-talks-safe-passage-vessels-through-hormuz-amid-energy-crisis?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3348701/philippines-seeks-iran-talks-safe-passage-vessels-through-hormuz-amid-energy-crisis?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 01 Apr 2026 12:55:31 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse The Philippines said on Tuesday it will rename more than 100 island features in a bid to reinforce its “sovereignty” in the disputed South China Sea, including areas claimed by China. The features to be renamed under President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr’s executive order belong to the Spratly archipelago, site of repeated confrontations between Philippine and Chinese vessels. Beijing claims the South China Sea in nearly its entirety despite an international ruling that its assertion has no legal... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3348577/philippines-rename-disputed-south-china-sea-islands-boost-sovereignty?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3348577/philippines-rename-disputed-south-china-sea-islands-boost-sovereignty?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 31 Mar 2026 14:40:11 +0000 Richard Heydarian Richard Heydarian The Iran war could provide an impetus for the Philippines and China to reach an agreement on disputed energy resources in the South China Sea, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr said recently. Marcos, the rotational chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations this year, emphasised the need for a “reset” in relations with China given that regional states are confronting “very serious” economic and foreign policy restructuring. Marcos’ statements came shortly after the Philippine... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3348291/how-us-war-iran-pushing-philippines-closer-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3348291/how-us-war-iran-pushing-philippines-closer-china?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 31 Mar 2026 12:30:08 +0000 Alyssa Chen Alyssa Chen Maritime tensions between China and the Philippines are likely to persist despite Manila’s call for energy cooperation, Chinese observers said after revived diplomatic talks on the weekend. Senior diplomats from the two countries met in the Chinese city of Quanzhou on Friday and Saturday for two rounds of talks, covering a range of issues from oil and gas cooperation in the South China Sea to renewable energy and coastguard communication. The foreign ministry consultations were held for the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3348303/why-revived-china-philippine-talks-wont-lead-energy-cooperation-south-china-sea?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3348303/why-revived-china-philippine-talks-wont-lead-energy-cooperation-south-china-sea?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 30 Mar 2026 00:00:15 +0000 Bloomberg Bloomberg Petron, the Philippines’ only refiner, has procured 2.48 million barrels of crude oil from Russia as the Southeast Asian nation scours the world for alternative suppliers to support domestic energy needs with the war in Iran raging. “If the current crisis persists and alternative crude sources remain unavailable or insufficient, Petron may again be compelled to consider purchases of Russian crude oil to augment the national fuel supply,” parent company San Miguel said in a statement to market... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3348321/philippine-oil-refiner-petron-buys-russian-crude-eyes-alternatives?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3348321/philippine-oil-refiner-petron-buys-russian-crude-eyes-alternatives?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 29 Mar 2026 15:37:36 +0000 The Star The Star “Sabah is not a commodity” to solve issues faced by other countries, a politician from the Malaysian state said on Friday. Azrul Ibrahim of Parti Gagasan Rakyat Sabah Youth said Sabah is part of a sovereign nation and its position within the federation cannot be questioned by any party. “Attempts to link Sabah to current oil and gas issues as an excuse to revive outdated claims are unwarranted and are meant to divert the internal crisis suffered by certain parties,” he said in a statement on... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3348212/malaysian-politicians-slam-philippine-senator-sabah-not-commodity-ease-oil-woes?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3348212/malaysian-politicians-slam-philippine-senator-sabah-not-commodity-ease-oil-woes?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 28 Mar 2026 01:00:20 +0000 Joseph Sipalan,Ushar Daniele Joseph Sipalan,Ushar Daniele For a few weeks after the bombs started falling on Iran, Southeast Asian governments told their people not to worry. Emergency funds would cushion the blow. Subsidies would hold. Prices would stabilise. A month on, with oil well above US$100 a barrel, long queues for fuel forming at petrol stations across the region and Thailand restarting coal plants it had mothballed years ago, the reassurances have worn thin. Against this backdrop, an old question has resurfaced with fresh urgency: why does a... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3348186/iran-war-energy-shock-revives-aseans-power-grid-plans-its-way-go?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3348186/iran-war-energy-shock-revives-aseans-power-grid-plans-its-way-go?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 28 Mar 2026 00:00:13 +0000 Sam Beltran Sam Beltran Philippine lawmakers have implored President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr to postpone this year’s Asean summit, as the country grapples with soaring fuel prices amid a global energy crisis. Analysts warn, however, that such a move would undermine Manila’s chairmanship of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. Leaders in the Philippine Senate have backed calls to study the postponement option, originally proposed by ex-finance secretary Gary Teves to cut government spending and redirect funds... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3348048/philippines-battles-fuel-crisis-will-marcos-postpone-asean-summit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3348048/philippines-battles-fuel-crisis-will-marcos-postpone-asean-summit?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 27 Mar 2026 04:30:08 +0000 Sam Beltran Sam Beltran Even as the Philippines thrashes through the throes of an energy crisis born of the Iran war, Filipinos themselves largely appear uninterested in blaming the man who started it. Instead of Donald Trump, public ire has instead coalesced around Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr and his administration for failing to quell soaring prices. Fuel costs have rocketed across the archipelago since the United States and Israel first struck Iran on February 28, following the near-total closure of... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3348025/trump-stays-popular-philippines-despite-iran-war-fuel-crisis?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3348025/trump-stays-popular-philippines-despite-iran-war-fuel-crisis?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 26 Mar 2026 12:32:13 +0000 Reuters Reuters The Philippines is working with Washington to secure waivers and exemptions that will allow it to obtain oil from US-sanctioned countries and guarantee supplies, its ambassador to the United States said. The Philippines, which relies heavily on imported fuel, declared a state of national energy emergency on Tuesday to deal with the fallout from the Middle East war, including ‌the disruptions to oil procurement. “We are working with the State Department to get waivers or exemptions to purchase... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3347899/philippines-says-it-working-us-obtain-oil-us-sanctioned-nations?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3347899/philippines-says-it-working-us-obtain-oil-us-sanctioned-nations?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 25 Mar 2026 13:59:07 +0000 Park Chan-kyong Park Chan-kyong A Philippine prison was supposed to contain Park Wang-yeol. Instead, according to South Korean investigators, it became his office from which an alleged drug trafficking empire was run, complete with a “VIP” lifestyle, a Telegram alias and a girlfriend summoned to his cell on demand. On Wednesday, after nine years of failed extradition attempts, that arrangement finally came to an end. Bearded, silent and dressed in casual clothing, the 48-year-old arrived at Incheon International Airport near... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3347820/south-korean-sugar-cane-killer-extradited-philippines-over-drug-empire?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3347820/south-korean-sugar-cane-killer-extradited-philippines-over-drug-empire?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 25 Mar 2026 06:29:22 +0000 Bloomberg Bloomberg The head of the Philippines’ flag carrier said the Southeast Asian country may need to resort to fuel rationing amid tight supplies due to the war in Iran. “We have countries saying, ‘we need to ration our fuel, we want people to tank fuel in and out.’ The reality is we’re going to have to do the same thing probably in the Philippines,” Philippine Airlines president Richard Nuttall said in an interview on Wednesday. Speaking at the Aviation Festival Asia conference in Singapore, Nuttall said the... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3347804/airline-boss-flags-possible-fuel-rationing-philippines-supplies-dwindle?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3347804/airline-boss-flags-possible-fuel-rationing-philippines-supplies-dwindle?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 25 Mar 2026 05:55:08 +0000 Bloomberg Bloomberg The Philippines says grounding planes due to a shortage of jet fuel brought on by the war in Iran is a “distinct possibility”, according to President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr. “Several countries have already told our airlines they cannot fuel their aircraft, so they have to carry fuel there and back,” Marcos said in an interview on Tuesday. “Long haul is going to be a much more serious problem.” Asked whether, inevitably, planes may have to be grounded, Marcos said, “We’re hoping not, but it’s a... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3347677/philippines-may-ground-flights-tide-over-widening-jet-fuel-crisis?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3347677/philippines-may-ground-flights-tide-over-widening-jet-fuel-crisis?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 24 Mar 2026 06:05:28 +0000 Jeoffrey Maitem Jeoffrey Maitem Washington and its allies are drawing up plans to establish an ammunition production facility in the Philippines, a move critics warn would turn the Southeast Asian nation into a logistics arm of US “warmongering”. The proposal emerged last week from the Partnership for Indo-Pacific Industrial Resilience (PIPIR), a US-led initiative founded in 2024 to reduce supply chain vulnerabilities and help allies produce and sustain military equipment closer to potential flashpoints. Members agreed to... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3347561/us-eyes-philippine-ammo-facility-opposition-warns-warmongering?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3347561/us-eyes-philippine-ammo-facility-opposition-warns-warmongering?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 23 Mar 2026 08:00:15 +0000 Sam Beltran Sam Beltran Mario Orain used to earn his living on the road. Now, the 51-year-old driver spends most of his time parked up, waiting for bookings that rarely come. “It’s really bad,” he told This Week in Asia. “There are very few bookings. And fuel prices have gone up a lot. It’s very expensive now.” With diesel prices in the Philippines shattering record highs amid the war on Iran, transport workers like Orain are being forced off the road as they face a stark choice between filling their tanks or feeding... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3347356/philippine-fuel-prices-hit-record-highs-food-inflation-fears-grow?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3347356/philippine-fuel-prices-hit-record-highs-food-inflation-fears-grow?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 21 Mar 2026 05:30:08 +0000 Sam Beltran Sam Beltran As the Philippines forms partnerships with several countries to harness its potentially huge wealth of critical minerals, analysts have called for a coherent road map to develop the country’s mining industry to globally competitive standards. President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr’s administration has signed multiple agreements over the past months, including a memorandum of understanding with the United States to cooperate on diversifying global critical mineral supply chains. The accord, signed during... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3347369/why-philippines-struggles-tap-its-us1-trillion-mineral-wealth?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3347369/why-philippines-struggles-tap-its-us1-trillion-mineral-wealth?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 20 Mar 2026 12:30:03 +0000 Sam Beltran Sam Beltran Growing disinformation in the Philippines and distrust in authorities could have led to a sharp drop in public support, particularly among Gen Z Filipinos, for the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) proceedings against former president Rodrigo Duterte and his deadly war on drugs. Only 32 per cent of Filipino respondents of different age groups approved the ICC’s move to prosecute Duterte in April last year, a month after he was arrested and flown to The Hague, according to a survey by WR... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3347184/gen-z-filipinos-lead-collapse-support-duterte-icc-case?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3347184/gen-z-filipinos-lead-collapse-support-duterte-icc-case?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 19 Mar 2026 10:30:30 +0000 Sam Beltran Sam Beltran Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr’s pitch for a United Nations Security Council seat this week was notable for his sidestepping of an issue at the core of Manila’s foreign policy in recent years. As he appealed to UN members in New York, Marcos framed the Philippines as a bridge connecting developing countries and middle-income economies, without making any direct reference to the South China Sea dispute. The president’s restrained speech, which avoided mentioning China despite ongoing... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3346401/philippines-bid-un-security-council-seat-sidesteps-maritime-row?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3346401/philippines-bid-un-security-council-seat-sidesteps-maritime-row?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 13 Mar 2026 00:00:23 +0000 SCMP’s Asia desk SCMP’s Asia desk Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr has ordered an investigation after watching a viral video showing an employee from the Migrant Workers Office in Bahrain telling off overseas Filipino workers (OFW) stranded in the kingdom due to the escalating Iran war. “The president was not pleased with this. He became angry on behalf of our OFWs because of the mistreatment by some public servants,” the presidential palace’s press officer Claire Castro said, according to the Inquirer on... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3346328/philippines-marcos-angry-over-mistreatment-bahrain-based-ofws-official?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3346328/philippines-marcos-angry-over-mistreatment-bahrain-based-ofws-official?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 12 Mar 2026 06:54:59 +0000 Sam Beltran Sam Beltran The Philippines was hit by a sharp fuel-price shock on Tuesday, with pump costs surging after the escalating conflict involving Iran pushed global oil prices higher, in what could become one of the country’s steepest weekly increases in years. Consumer groups say the surge is exposing a deeper problem: a deregulated oil industry introduced in the late 1990s that allows companies to set pump prices in line with global markets, leaving the government with fewer tools to intervene than many of its... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3346130/philippines-fuel-shock-exposes-limits-deregulated-oil-market?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3346130/philippines-fuel-shock-exposes-limits-deregulated-oil-market?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 10 Mar 2026 12:36:03 +0000 Alan Robles,Raissa Robles Alan Robles,Raissa Robles The mountains of the Philippines are quieter now. The jungle bases that once sustained Asia’s longest-running communist insurgency are mostly emptied out. Its tens of thousands of guerrilla fighters have been reduced, by the military’s account, to something “very, very negligible”. After 56 years, the Philippine military thinks the fight is almost over – and that conviction is transforming the armed forces from the inside out. Commanders are overhauling training and strategy, moving away from... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3345929/philippines-says-its-communist-rebels-are-defeated-are-they?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3345929/philippines-says-its-communist-rebels-are-defeated-are-they?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 09 Mar 2026 06:00:14 +0000 Bloomberg Bloomberg The Philippines is looking at ways to save on energy as tensions in the Middle East push global fuel costs higher, with the government suggesting people use their air conditioners less and shy away from non-essential travel. The Southeast Asian nation imports nearly all of its oil requirements and the war in Iran could spur inflation that already hit a 13-month high in February. President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr’s administration this week ordered government offices to set their air conditioners to... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3345681/philippines-battles-us-iran-war-fuel-crisis-air-con-limits-flexible-work-plan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3345681/philippines-battles-us-iran-war-fuel-crisis-air-con-limits-flexible-work-plan?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 06 Mar 2026 05:43:24 +0000 Raissa Robles Raissa Robles Philippine lawmakers have moved two impeachment complaints against Vice-President Sara Duterte-Carpio a step closer to formal proceedings, advancing a case that could ultimately threaten her political future as a potential contender for the presidency in 2028. The drawn-out process also carries political risks for both camps, with some lawmakers arguing that a failed Senate conviction could ultimately strengthen Duterte-Carpio ahead of the 2028 race. The House of Representatives’ justice... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3345604/philippines-advances-sara-duterte-impeachment-case-not-cakewalk?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3345604/philippines-advances-sara-duterte-impeachment-case-not-cakewalk?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 05 Mar 2026 12:25:50 +0000 Reuters Reuters The ⁠Philippine government said on Wednesday it had apprehended some of its citizens on suspicion of spying for China in a “serious national security matter” that underscores the need for stricter laws against espionage and foreign interference. Authorities did not provide details about the case, including how many people had been apprehended or whether charges had been filed. “The operations of these individuals acting on the behest ‌of Chinese intelligence have been addressed and terminated,”... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3345452/philippines-arrests-filipino-nationals-suspected-spying-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3345452/philippines-arrests-filipino-nationals-suspected-spying-china?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 04 Mar 2026 12:02:08 +0000 Sam Beltran Sam Beltran A Philippine lawmaker has provoked outrage for what critics said were misogynistic remarks about one of the country’s most famous celebrities while attempting to defend Vice-President Sara Duterte-Carpio at a hearing deliberating her impeachment charges. The remarks, made during deliberations of the House of Representatives’ Committee on Justice on Tuesday, prompted objections from female lawmakers, calls for his statement to be removed from the record and warnings from officials that such... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3345431/outrage-philippines-over-lawmakers-sexist-remarks-defence-vp-sara-duterte?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3345431/outrage-philippines-over-lawmakers-sexist-remarks-defence-vp-sara-duterte?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 04 Mar 2026 10:31:08 +0000 Reuters Reuters Philippine lawmakers ordered Vice-President Sara Duterte-Carpio on Wednesday to respond to impeachment complaints against her after finding substance to allegations involving unexplained wealth, the misuse of public funds and making public threats against President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr. The daughter of former president Rodrigo Duterte is seen as a front runner for the 2028 presidential election, and has said she will run for the top post. She survived a similar impeachment bid last year, which... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3345384/philippines-duterte-carpio-ordered-answer-impeachment-charges-over-wealth-threats?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3345384/philippines-duterte-carpio-ordered-answer-impeachment-charges-over-wealth-threats?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 04 Mar 2026 07:26:38 +0000 Raissa Robles Raissa Robles Supporters of former president Rodrigo Duterte have amplified viral claims that Iran could target the Philippines in retaliation for US actions in the Middle East, a narrative analysts say is being used to portray the country’s defence ties with Washington as a threat to national security. The rumours spread widely enough online that the Armed Forces of the Philippines felt compelled to issue a public rebuttal. On Tuesday, armed forces spokeswoman Colonel Francel Margareth Padilla said there was... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3345317/duterte-allies-use-iran-war-threat-attack-philippines-us-ties?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3345317/duterte-allies-use-iran-war-threat-attack-philippines-us-ties?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 04 Mar 2026 01:00:11 +0000 Alan Robles Alan Robles As judges in The Hague consider whether former Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte’s crimes against humanity case should proceed to trial, a parallel battle over the narrative has taken hold online. Prosecutors at the International Criminal Court (ICC) have accused Duterte of overseeing a campaign of extrajudicial killings linked to his signature “war on drugs”. Rights groups say the campaign left thousands dead during his 2016-2022 presidency, allegations he has repeatedly denied. Analysts... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3345198/allies-philippines-duterte-step-online-attacks-drug-war-trial-looms?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3345198/allies-philippines-duterte-step-online-attacks-drug-war-trial-looms?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 03 Mar 2026 06:00:10 +0000 Raissa Robles Raissa Robles President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr’s decision to promote coastguard officer Jay Tarriela – despite Beijing’s calls for him to be sanctioned – is being read by analysts as a calibrated signal of how the Philippines intends to manage its maritime dispute with China. Rather than a routine personnel move, they say, the elevation of one of the government’s most outspoken maritime voices suggests Marcos is doubling down on a strategy that pairs public exposure of Beijing’s actions in the South China Sea... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3345174/philippines-promotes-coastguard-officer-deliberate-signal-south-china-sea-dispute?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3345174/philippines-promotes-coastguard-officer-deliberate-signal-south-china-sea-dispute?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 02 Mar 2026 13:17:04 +0000 Jeoffrey Maitem Jeoffrey Maitem The Philippines cannot afford an aircraft carrier, could not sustain one if it had it and, according to most analysts, does not need one. What it needs is messier, cheaper and harder to photograph, they say: a web of missiles, patrol boats, frigates and surveillance assets designed not to project power, but to deny it. Two recent developments have made that choice harder to ignore. Last month, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr openly mused that an aircraft carrier with “accompanying... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3344910/indonesia-getting-aircraft-carrier-philippines-isnt-does-it-matter?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3344910/indonesia-getting-aircraft-carrier-philippines-isnt-does-it-matter?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 01 Mar 2026 02:00:22 +0000 SCMP SCMP This story was published on February 25, 1986. Marcos on brink of Manila turmoil From Harvey Stockwin The Philippine capital Manila was last night (February 24, 1986) in revolutionary turmoil as a people’s government led by Corazon Aquino sought to take over the country backed by a massive demonstration of non-violence by hundreds of thousands of unarmed supporters. But President Ferdinand Marcos clung to the illusion that he is still in control. Yesterday evening he effectively declared war on... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3342181/turmoil-grips-philippines-1986-people-power-ends-marcos-rule-scmp-archive?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3342181/turmoil-grips-philippines-1986-people-power-ends-marcos-rule-scmp-archive?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 25 Feb 2026 04:15:08 +0000 Sam Beltran Sam Beltran The Philippines has fallen in a global corruption perception ranking, as allegations of financial wrongdoings and court cases surrounding a multibillion-peso flood-control programme have deepened doubts about its governance and dented investor confidence. Berlin-based watchdog Transparency International said the Philippines ranked 120th out of 182 countries and territories in its 2025 Corruption Perceptions Index, down six places from the previous year. The country received a score of 32 on a... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3344179/views-corruption-philippines-worsen-grease-money-dents-confidence?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3344179/views-corruption-philippines-worsen-grease-money-dents-confidence?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 21 Feb 2026 09:00:10 +0000 Sam Beltran,Agence France-Presse Sam Beltran,Agence France-Presse Philippine Vice-President Sara Duterte-Carpio announced on Wednesday that she will run for president in 2028, formally declaring a bid long widely expected as her political camp confronts mounting legal and institutional pressure. “I offer my life, my strength and my future in the service of our nation,” she said in announcing her candidacy. “I am Sara Duterte. I will run for president of the Philippines.” The daughter of former president Rodrigo Duterte used her brief speech to accuse President... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3343866/philippines-sara-duterte-throws-hat-ring-2028-presidential-run?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3343866/philippines-sara-duterte-throws-hat-ring-2028-presidential-run?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 18 Feb 2026 03:37:20 +0000 Bloomberg Bloomberg Philippine Vice-President Sara Duterte-Carpio is facing three new impeachment complaints, setting the stage for renewed scrutiny aimed at preventing her from becoming the country’s next leader. But unseating her and barring her from politics will not be easy. The complaints are awaiting action from the House of Representatives, dominated by President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr’s allies, which resumes sessions next week. The accusations range from misuse of public funds to an assassination threat... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3343550/philippine-efforts-unseat-duterte-carpio-face-snags-too-popular-impeach?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3343550/philippine-efforts-unseat-duterte-carpio-face-snags-too-popular-impeach?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 14 Feb 2026 00:48:46 +0000 Sam Beltran Sam Beltran Renso Bajala didn’t expect a machine to help decide whether he kept his job. In 2024, the 22-year-old Makati City native was on probation in a customer relations role for a US credit card company when he learned that becoming a regular employee would involve impressing a new gatekeeper: artificial intelligence. The AI analysed his tone, delivery and keyword usage, scoring each interaction for sentiment and customer experience. No one had mentioned it during training. “I was a new hire, and... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3343513/philippines-ai-reckoning-puts-127-million-jobs-line?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3343513/philippines-ai-reckoning-puts-127-million-jobs-line?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 14 Feb 2026 00:00:11 +0000