https://www.scmp.com/rss/521820/feed The latest news and top stories on De La Salle University. A prominent Philippine-based private, Catholic research university, De La Salle University (DLSU) is dedicated to being a leading learner-centred institution, bridging faith and scholarship for a sustainable Earth and serving society. Its main campus is in Manila, with others including Laguna. DLSU focuses on academic excellence, prolific research, and community service, offering extensive programmes across diverse fields. Recognised as... en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Sam Beltran Sam Beltran Across Southeast Asia, governments are seeking Russian oil and gas to ease fuel shortages triggered by the continuing chokehold on the Strait of Hormuz, a crisis that has sent energy prices higher and forced import-dependent countries to look beyond their usual suppliers. But analysts say the scramble for Russian fuel also raises a bigger question for the region: whether Moscow can turn a short-term role as an emergency energy supplier into longer-term influence there. Member states of the... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3351613/will-aseans-scramble-russian-oil-fuel-shift-regional-alliances?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3351613/will-aseans-scramble-russian-oil-fuel-shift-regional-alliances?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 28 Apr 2026 00:00:20 +0000 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 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 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 Ada Li Ada Li Hong Kong’s skating community is riding a new wave of confidence after Joey Lam Ching-yan’s historic seventh-place finish at Milano-Cortina 2026, the city’s best result at the Winter Olympics. For the first time, Hong Kong had both male and female skaters at the same Winter Games, marking a milestone for a city better known for subtropical heat than frozen rinks. “Our next major goal is to qualify in both short-track speedskating and figure skating,” Melody Yip Tan-tan, chairwoman of the Hong... https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3344953/hong-kongs-skaters-see-bright-future-after-milano-cortina-obstacles-still-remain?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3344953/hong-kongs-skaters-see-bright-future-after-milano-cortina-obstacles-still-remain?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 28 Feb 2026 04:00:32 +0000 Raissa Robles Raissa Robles A visiting forces military deal to be signed between the Philippines and France has put the focus on “operational intimacy”, with observers noting that Paris has a presence in the Indo-Pacific and would serve Manila’s interests well in the contested waters of the South China Sea. The term was coined by French Ambassador to Manila Marie Fontanel, during a freewheeling discussion on Tuesday at her residence. In a bid to balance the implications of the alliance – a first for the Philippines with a... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3340187/philippines-france-near-defence-pact-boost-operational-intimacy-contested-waters?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3340187/philippines-france-near-defence-pact-boost-operational-intimacy-contested-waters?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 16 Jan 2026 10:38:13 +0000 Sam Beltran Sam Beltran Washington’s recent offer of US$45 million in funding to reinforce the Thailand-Cambodia ceasefire is a sign that the US is scrambling to regain the upper hand over China in mediating the rift between the Southeast Asian neighbours, according to analysts. Announcing the funding on Friday, US Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Michael DeSombre said Bangkok and Phnom Penh would strive to implement the Kuala Lumpur Peace Accords, signed last year when US President... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3339985/why-us-splurging-us45-million-thai-cambodian-border-war-amid-cuts-aid-funding?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3339985/why-us-splurging-us45-million-thai-cambodian-border-war-amid-cuts-aid-funding?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 15 Jan 2026 08:00:11 +0000 Sam Beltran Sam Beltran Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr is facing his lowest ratings yet since taking office in 2022, a trend observers warn could be a signal that his efforts to quell the spiralling corruption scandal around the country’s flood control projects are backfiring. Marcos’ satisfaction ratings fell to 21 per cent in November – a drop of 14 percentage points from August, and his steepest decline since February this year, according to findings released by independent public opinion firm WR Numero... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3335633/filipinos-losing-patience-marcos-anti-corruption-drive-presidents-ratings-tank?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3335633/filipinos-losing-patience-marcos-anti-corruption-drive-presidents-ratings-tank?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 08 Dec 2025 10:56:58 +0000 Sam Beltran Sam Beltran A travel ban imposed by the Philippines on two figures tied to its notorious offshore gaming industry marks the latest bid by President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr’s administration to project toughness and reclaim public trust. But analysts say that the deepening flood-control scandal – involving the alleged misuse of billions of pesos – remains the true barometer of political fortunes in Manila. The Department of Foreign Affairs on Tuesday confirmed the cancellation of passports belonging to Harry... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3334270/philippines-targets-more-pogo-figures-can-marcos-regain-public-trust?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3334270/philippines-targets-more-pogo-figures-can-marcos-regain-public-trust?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 27 Nov 2025 04:00:17 +0000 Sam Beltran Sam Beltran The Philippines’ deepening flood-control corruption scandal has now drawn in one of the country’s most influential religious groups, with a mass mobilisation by members of the Iglesia ni Cristo (INC) church offering a revealing glimpse into the political fault lines reshaping Manila’s crisis. The two-day gathering, which began on Sunday and drew more than half a million INC members to the capital, was officially framed as a demand for transparency and accountability over billions of pesos... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3333613/how-influential-philippine-church-flexing-its-political-muscle-amid-flood-scandal?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3333613/how-influential-philippine-church-flexing-its-political-muscle-amid-flood-scandal?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 21 Nov 2025 02:00:53 +0000 Sam Beltran Sam Beltran President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr’s sharp decline in public trust and approval, set against Vice-President Sara Duterte-Carpio’s steadier numbers, underscores the shifting balance of power between two of the most influential political dynasties in the Philippines. While both leaders remain broadly popular, analysts say the latest figures suggest Duterte-Carpio’s camp may be regaining momentum as Marcos grapples with scandals, governance missteps and waning confidence in his leadership – deepening a... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3331977/philippines-marcos-main-casualty-political-issues-trust-ratings-plummet?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3331977/philippines-marcos-main-casualty-political-issues-trust-ratings-plummet?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 07 Nov 2025 11:53:19 +0000 Sam Beltran Sam Beltran The Philippines and Canada are set to sign a visiting forces agreement permitting joint drills and troop deployments on each other’s soil amid China’s expanding regional influence. Canadian Minister of National Defence David McGuinty will be in Manila on Sunday to hold bilateral meetings with Philippine Defence Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jnr and sign the agreement, according to an advisory released by the Philippine Department of National Defence on Wednesday. The signing of the agreement... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3331029/canada-philippines-deepen-military-ties-new-joint-forces-pact-amid-china-concerns?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3331029/canada-philippines-deepen-military-ties-new-joint-forces-pact-amid-china-concerns?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 31 Oct 2025 06:09:29 +0000 Maria Monica Wihardja,Dennis Trinidad Maria Monica Wihardja,Dennis Trinidad The use of economic tools to serve national interests is hardly new. But in the 21st century, such instruments – ranging from unlawful economic coercion to lawful but harmful trade remedies – have become central to the strategic competition between the United States and China. Because the two countries are highly economically interdependent, the weaponisation of this interdependence is both essential and convenient, unlike during the Cold War rivalry between America and the Soviet Union. In some... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/opinion/article/3329453/how-asean-can-survive-us-china-economic-cold-war?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/opinion/article/3329453/how-asean-can-survive-us-china-economic-cold-war?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 19 Oct 2025 02:30:09 +0000 Sam Beltran Sam Beltran Mud splattered across gates. Walls daubed with “thief” and “corrupt”. In the Philippines, anger over the misuse of funds set aside for flood control projects has found its target: the properties of contractors accused of siphoning off billions and the offices of government agencies. After rallying outside the Department of Public Works and Highways and pelting it with waste water-filled balloons and rotten fruit on Thursday, protesters descended on the House of Representatives the day afterwards... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3324693/protests-erupt-philippines-over-stolen-flood-control-funds-drowning-money?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3324693/protests-erupt-philippines-over-stolen-flood-control-funds-drowning-money?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 08 Sep 2025 05:00:10 +0000 Sam Beltran Sam Beltran Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr has ordered lifestyle checks on government officials as part of a sweeping review of flood control projects mired in allegations of corruption, but analysts warn the move risks being more symbolic than systemic. Presidential press officer Claire Castro confirmed the directive at a briefing on Wednesday, saying the checks would cover the entire executive branch, starting with the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), which oversees... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3323536/philippines-marcos-orders-lifestyle-checks-stem-flood-corruption-will-they-work?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3323536/philippines-marcos-orders-lifestyle-checks-stem-flood-corruption-will-they-work?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 28 Aug 2025 12:35:28 +0000 Sam Beltran Sam Beltran Concerns are growing in the Philippines over Beijing’s intentions towards Batanes, the country’s northernmost province, after a spike in Chinese social media claims and unusual coastguard patrols near the archipelago, with analysts warning these narratives could influence public opinion and complicate Manila’s security calculations. On the Chinese platform Douyin, some users have circulated videos alleging Batanes “once belonged to China” based on historical records, while others claimed Manila... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3323091/filipinos-worry-chinese-online-claims-batanes-risk-real-world-conflict?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3323091/filipinos-worry-chinese-online-claims-batanes-risk-real-world-conflict?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 25 Aug 2025 10:50:38 +0000 Sam Beltran Sam Beltran President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr has expressed anger over failed flood-control projects in the Philippines, as he warned of “economic sabotage” charges against “big” offenders to stem entrenched corruption in the infrastructure sector. “I’m not disappointed, I’m angry,” Marcos told local media after inspecting a barren site in Bulacan where a 55 million-peso (US$964,000) river wall was supposed to have been built. “They didn’t work for even a single day. Even if you see it for yourself, you won’t... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3322706/philippine-president-fumes-over-flood-corruption-economic-sabotage?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3322706/philippine-president-fumes-over-flood-corruption-economic-sabotage?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 22 Aug 2025 00:00:20 +0000 Jeoffrey Maitem Jeoffrey Maitem Lockheed Martin is set to establish an R&D facility in Manila in partnership with a major Philippine university, in a move analysts say will both strengthen the nation’s technological foundations and enmesh it further into Washington’s regional security framework. The American defence giant announced on Tuesday a collaboration with Southern Methodist University (SMU) aimed at boosting innovation, developing advanced technologies and nurturing local talent in partnership with Philippine academic... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3321952/why-lockheed-martins-philippine-rd-hub-will-be-chinas-radar?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3321952/why-lockheed-martins-philippine-rd-hub-will-be-chinas-radar?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 18 Aug 2025 00:00:13 +0000 Sam Beltran Sam Beltran The deployment of Asean observers along the Cambodia-Thailand frontier marks a fresh test for Southeast Asia’s capacity to police its own peace, even as entrenched mistrust between the two nations threatens to expose the limits of the regional bloc’s effectiveness. Cambodia and Thailand have consented to the stationing of observers from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations to be stationed on both sides of their disputed border, tasked with monitoring a precarious ceasefire after last... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3321484/thailand-cambodia-deep-mistrust-tests-aseans-peacekeeping-role?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3321484/thailand-cambodia-deep-mistrust-tests-aseans-peacekeeping-role?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 11 Aug 2025 12:46:15 +0000 Sam Beltran Sam Beltran Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr’s state visit to India has culminated in the elevation of bilateral ties to a strategic partnership, marking a symbolic high point as the two countries celebrate 75 years of diplomatic relations. Beyond the ceremony, analysts say the trip reflects a growing convergence between Manila and New Delhi on maritime security, defence cooperation and economic resilience – a relationship shaped by shared democratic values, overlapping interests in the... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3320847/philippines-india-mark-strategic-leap-75-years-ties-amid-china-tensions?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3320847/philippines-india-mark-strategic-leap-75-years-ties-amid-china-tensions?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 05 Aug 2025 11:20:28 +0000 Sam Beltran Sam Beltran As the Asia-Pacific’s power dynamics continue to evolve and shift, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s visit to China promises to be a test of his country’s ability to walk the fine line between economic self-interest and strategic resolve. His trip, which began on Saturday, unfolds against the backdrop of Australia’s deepening security ties with the Philippines, with Canberra stepping up support for Manila’s maritime capabilities and increasing participation in patrols and joint... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3317926/australia-juggles-its-china-trade-needs-philippines-defence-ties?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3317926/australia-juggles-its-china-trade-needs-philippines-defence-ties?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 14 Jul 2025 00:00:58 +0000 Sam Beltran Sam Beltran The stranglehold of political dynasties on Philippine democracy risks deepening public disillusionment and limiting political pluralism, the European Union’s election mission has warned, as it called for sweeping reforms to the country’s “outdated” election code and party-list system. In its final report released on Thursday, the EU Election Observation Mission said political power in the Philippines remained concentrated within a small circle of elite families, even in institutions meant to... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3316958/philippine-political-dynasties-under-fire-eu-watchers-amid-calls-electoral-reform?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3316958/philippine-political-dynasties-under-fire-eu-watchers-amid-calls-electoral-reform?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 06 Jul 2025 02:00:09 +0000