https://www.scmp.com/rss/523166/feed The latest news and top stories on Francis Escudero, the President of the Senate of the Philippines. He was previously the Governor of Sorsogon province and the local member in the House of Representatives. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Sam Beltran Sam Beltran Filipino actress and fashion influencer Heart Evangelista’s reappearance at Paris Fashion Week following scrutiny over her lavish lifestyle in previous months has drawn sharp criticism amid “unprecedented” public outrage linked to an unfolding corruption scandal plaguing the country. Public sentiment in the Philippines has been particularly negative against influencers such as Evangelista and other “nepo babies”, a term referring to flamboyant family members of wealthy politicians, officials and... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3342588/outrage-philippines-socialite-heart-evangelista-nepo-babies-return-spotlight?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3342588/outrage-philippines-socialite-heart-evangelista-nepo-babies-return-spotlight?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 06 Feb 2026 05:30:09 +0000 SCMP’s Asia desk SCMP’s Asia desk Filipino actress-turned-influencer Heart Evangelista has shared a quote about successful people who do not step on others, as she continues to fend off accusations of her being a “nepo-wife” and is exploring legal options against her critics. The 40-year-old is married to Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero, who was ousted as senate president in September after being linked to the country’s 545 billion peso (US$9.3 billion) flood-control corruption scandal. Since the scandal erupted in July, those... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3331117/philippines-heart-evangelista-shares-humble-enough-quote-after-new-accusation?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3331117/philippines-heart-evangelista-shares-humble-enough-quote-after-new-accusation?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 31 Oct 2025 12:49:32 +0000 Raissa Robles Raissa Robles As the Philippines reels from a deepening corruption scandal rattling its political elite, one of its brightest social media stars has found herself at the centre of a national reckoning over wealth, privilege and accountability. Filipino style icon and influencer Heart Evangelista has spent years dazzling international audiences. Her Instagram is a parade of haute couture and jewellery, and she is a regular at Paris Fashion Week. But her conspicuous absence from this autumn’s event in France... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3329090/heart-evangelista-how-filipino-style-icons-wealth-came-under-fire?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3329090/heart-evangelista-how-filipino-style-icons-wealth-came-under-fire?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 15 Oct 2025 07:28:32 +0000 Raissa Robles Raissa Robles The Philippines’ “biggest corruption scandal” in history continues to rivet Filipinos as whistle-blowers implicate a slew of top officials, with the unfolding saga threatening to drag even the president into its 545 billion peso (US$9.4 billion) embrace. On Thursday, Filipinos in Metro Manila – from taxi drivers to building lobby receptionists and security guards – were spotted with their mobile phones tuned in to the Senate’s eight-hour hearing on the so-called ghost flood projects. In one... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3326927/could-philippines-flood-control-corruption-scandal-engulf-president-marcos-too?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3326927/could-philippines-flood-control-corruption-scandal-engulf-president-marcos-too?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 26 Sep 2025 03:36:27 +0000 Raissa Robles Raissa Robles Allies of former Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte lost their grip in the Senate on Monday after 15 lawmakers backed a leadership change that could alter the balance of power over corruption probes and Vice-President Sara Duterte-Carpio’s scuttled impeachment trial. The process took just 24 minutes – from a motion to declare the post of Senate president vacant to the swearing-in of Vicente Sotto III, a veteran lawmaker who is allied with President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr, for the role. Sotto’s... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3324787/philippine-pro-duterte-senators-caught-flat-footed-over-senate-leader-change?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3324787/philippine-pro-duterte-senators-caught-flat-footed-over-senate-leader-change?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 08 Sep 2025 13:36:47 +0000 Raissa Robles Raissa Robles A day after Philippine Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Manuel Bonoan refused to resign amid mounting public outrage over ghost flood projects worth billions, President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr replaced him with high-performing Transport Secretary Vince Dizon. A former high government official who spoke on condition of anonymity told this Week in Asia on Monday that the Marcos presidency now hinged on 51-year-old Dizon’s ability to address the spiralling corruption unearthed... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3323965/why-philippines-picked-results-driven-reformer-stem-flood-corruption?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3323965/why-philippines-picked-results-driven-reformer-stem-flood-corruption?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 01 Sep 2025 14:30:41 +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 Raissa Robles Raissa Robles Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr delivered his shortest State of the Nation address (Sona) to date on Monday, as he mostly sidestepped foreign policy issues and used the occasion to launch a blistering attack on public infrastructure corruption. During the speech, which lasted an hour and 10 minutes, Marcos Jnr made no mention of China and referred to the United States only in passing. The focus on corruption and a lack of insight into external developments suggests a calculated bid by... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3319892/philippines-marcos-jnr-rails-against-corruption-state-nation-address?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3319892/philippines-marcos-jnr-rails-against-corruption-state-nation-address?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 28 Jul 2025 14:43:49 +0000 Alan Robles,Raissa Robles Alan Robles,Raissa Robles Monday’s opening of the Philippines’ Congress has been thrown into chaos by a Supreme Court ruling that effectively killed the long-awaited impeachment trial of Vice-President Sara Duterte-Carpio. The Supreme Court’s decision, delivered late on Friday, quashed the Senate’s long-delayed trial on a technicality, ruling that the impeachment violated the constitutional “one-year rule” against multiple proceedings within a year for the same official. The fallout has cast a pall over what would... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3319798/sara-duterte-impeachment-ruling-sparks-constitutional-storm-philippines?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3319798/sara-duterte-impeachment-ruling-sparks-constitutional-storm-philippines?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 28 Jul 2025 08:00:14 +0000 Sam Beltran Sam Beltran Philippine lawmakers have refiled a long-delayed bill legalising divorce in the country just a few days into the new Congress after its passage fell short in the previous term, with divorce advocates hopeful that the legislation will finally see the light of day. Lawmakers have been trying to pass a divorce law since 2005, but continue to face resistance in the Catholic-majority country. Nearly 79 per cent of Filipinos are Roman Catholic and the Philippines and the Vatican are the only countries... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3316926/philippine-lawmakers-revive-divorce-bill-will-it-be-passed-time?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3316926/philippine-lawmakers-revive-divorce-bill-will-it-be-passed-time?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 04 Jul 2025 06:30:08 +0000