https://www.scmp.com/rss/524474/feed The latest news and updates on Sherwin Gatchalian, a prominent Filipino politician and businessman, currently serving as a Senator since 2016, having previously been Mayor of Valenzuela and a Representative for its 1st district. Known for his integrity and dedication, he chairs the Senate Committees on Basic Education and Ways and Means. His legislative work includes championing education reform, notably co-authoring the Free Higher Education Act, and advocating for consumer protection and... en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com 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 Sam Beltran Sam Beltran The Philippines is the latest country to consider banning minors from social media, joining a regional wave led by Australia and Indonesia, but technology analysts warn that restricting access alone will do little to address the platform design flaws that expose young users to harm. Philippine Senator Sherwin Gatchalian on Monday called for legislation to limit minors’ access to social media platforms, days after Indonesia began enforcing a ban on under-16s using “high-risk” platforms such as... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3348837/philippines-weighs-social-media-ban-minors-will-it-be-enough?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3348837/philippines-weighs-social-media-ban-minors-will-it-be-enough?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 02 Apr 2026 12:00:37 +0000 Alan Robles Alan Robles In the Philippines, politics can often feel like theatre. But few senators embody the blurring of screen and state as fully as Robinhood Ferdinand Carino Padilla, an ex-action star whose time in office has been marked by spectacle, scandal and slapstick. The 55-year-old, once nicknamed Philippine cinema’s “bad boy”, swept into the Senate in the 2022 elections despite a past conviction for illegal firearms. While his rise was improbable, his tenure has often felt surreal. Padilla’s time in public... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3322357/cannabis-scandal-clouds-philippine-senates-bad-boy-robin-padilla-not-fit-be?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3322357/cannabis-scandal-clouds-philippine-senates-bad-boy-robin-padilla-not-fit-be?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 19 Aug 2025 07:47:25 +0000 Sam Beltran Sam Beltran At the rehabilitation centres run by Bridges of Hope, a recovery network spread across the Philippines, founder Jon Ty is used to seeing the different faces of addiction. For years, clients came seeking help for their abuse of drugs, alcohol or painkillers. Now, most come for something else. Today, seven in 10 clients treated across the network of centres are battling online gambling addiction – a trend that highlights a deepening crisis in the country, fuelled by a boom in mobile betting apps... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3317521/philippines-alarming-rise-online-gambling-addicts-fuels-calls-ban?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3317521/philippines-alarming-rise-online-gambling-addicts-fuels-calls-ban?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 09 Jul 2025 09:00:08 +0000 Sam Beltran Sam Beltran A Philippine court has ruled that Alice Guo – a former town mayor who rose to national infamy over her alleged ties to foreign criminal syndicates and questions about her true identity – was never qualified to hold office, declaring her “undoubtedly a Chinese citizen” who had “usurped” her post. The Manila Regional Trial Court ruled on Friday that Guo’s election and assumption of office in Bamban, Tarlac, from 2022 to 2024 were “null and void”. Agreeing with a petition by the Office of the... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3316424/former-philippine-mayor-alice-guo-nothing-more-usurper-court?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3316424/former-philippine-mayor-alice-guo-nothing-more-usurper-court?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 30 Jun 2025 13:27:07 +0000