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The Philippines

The Philippines
The Philippines
Latest news, in-depth features and opinion on the Philippines, covering politics, economy, society, and Manila’s relationships with China and its Southeast Asian neighbours.
A US navy drone positioned beside a Philippine C130 plane at the airport of Zamboanga, southern Philippines on Tuesday. Photo: AP
Ukraine war

Philippines aims to counter China’s drone swarm capacity, learn from Ukraine war

Its military says drones armed with explosives or used for surveillance have become a focus of joint exercises with allies such as the US.

Asean

My Take | Can Southeast Asia contain growing threat of cyber scams?

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China-Philippines relations

Opinion | With 50 years of history, Manila and Beijing should do better diplomacy

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United Nations

Philippines urged to ratify UN marine resource treaty or risk being sidelined

France is seeking ratification of the High Seas Treaty by at least 60 countries ahead of the UN Ocean Conference in Nice next week.

The High Seas Treaty, aimed at protecting marine life in international waters, requires ratification by at least 60 countries for it to take effect. Photo: Shutterstock
Banking & finance

Citigroup to cut 3,500 tech support jobs in China to trim costs

Bank offers above-average separation packages in a move that is expected to be completed in the fourth quarter.

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South China Sea

Philippines boosts air power with 12 FA-50 jets amid South China Sea tensions

The light combat aircraft is ‘as good a deal as Manila can get’ as an alternative to the US F-16 multirole fighters, analysts say.

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Rodrigo Duterte

Why Duterte’s diehard fans are carrying cardboard cut-outs around The Hague

The life-size standees have been seen around the Philippines and The Hague, where the former president is in ICC detention.

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Philippine Senator Robin Padilla carries a life-size full-colour cardboard cutout of Rodrigo Duterte on a bus in The Hague. Photo: Handout
Boxing

Pacquiao going all in on boxing return, says he’s done with Philippine politics

Former eight-division world champion returns to ring next month, but says Mario Barrios title fight not a one-shot deal.

Scams and swindles

US sanctions Philippine tech firm over ‘pig butchering’ romance scams

Funnull Technology’s infrastructure supported more than 332,000 domain names linked to cryptocurrency scams, US Treasury Department says.

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Banking & finance

Hong Kong firms favour mainland, South Asia for growth in snub to US, Europe: survey

Half of respondents in an HSBC survey picked mainland China, while one in four chose South Asia as target markets for expansion.

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Container hauliers at Yangluo Port in Wuhan in May 2025. Photo: EPA-EFE
Fame and celebrity

Meet Mulan and Aladdin star Lea Salonga’s trans son, Nic Chien

Salonga, who’s been consistently supportive of Chien’s journey, had originally wanted to raise her child in her native Philippines where ‘people hold on to their childhood for so much longer’.

Meet Mulan and Aladdin star Lea Salonga’s trans son Nic Chien, who’s following in his mum’s musical theatre footsteps. Photos: @euroasiagranite, @nicchien_official/Instagram
Disease

Philippines HIV cases jump 500%, prompting ‘public health emergency’ warning

The HIV cases are rising disproportionately among young men, with 95 per cent of new cases being male, with 33 per cent aged 15–24, and 47 per cent aged 25–34.

South China Sea

China ‘has a lot of trust building to do’ in South China Sea, Philippines says

Manila’s defence chief says he wants China to engage in good faith. But observers note that trust is a two-way street.

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SCMP Highlights

Musk’s alleged Japan child, ‘Trump and Lee Kuan Yew similar’: 7 Asia highlights

From Elon Musk’s alleged child in Japan to India’s AMCA stealth fighter, here are a few highlights from SCMP’s recent Asia reporting.

Elon Musk leaves Tesla’s Gigafactory Berlin-Brandenburg on March 13, 2024. The billionaire entrepreneur is at the centre of renewed public scrutiny following claims he fathered a child with a Japanese pop star. Photo: DPA
Defence

‘Growing threat’: ex-official calls for US-Japan-Australia-Philippines alliance

Former US defence official Ely Ratner says it’s time for the ‘viable and essential’ four-way defence pact. Security experts aren’t so sure.

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Vessels sail in formation during a multilateral maritime cooperative activity between Australia, the United States, Japan and the Philippines in April 2024. Photo: Australian Department of Defence / AFP
South China Sea

Will Japan’s ‘near alliance’ with the Philippines fuel China’s suspicions?

A formal alliance between Tokyo and Manila could lead to increasing tensions with Beijing in the Indo-Pacific region, an analyst warns.

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South Korea

Baby dies aboard Philippines-South Korea flight after premature birth

Authorities are investigating the death of the premature infant, born to a Filipino mother aboard a Jeju Air flight.

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Malaysia

Philippines cracks down on Malaysia’s AirAsia over ‘criminal’ ticket prices

Authorities have ordered AirAsia MOVE to stop selling tickets, threatening charges of ‘criminal economic sabotage’ for illegally high fares.

An AirAsia plane is seen on the tarmac at Kuala Lumpur International Airport Terminal. Photo: Reuters
United States

US deportations: how safe are Filipinos – and what can Manila do?

An advocacy group said green card holder Lewelyn Dixon’s case exposed ‘neglect’ by Manila, urging it to help others held in detention centres.

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Rodrigo Duterte

A legal impossibility? Experts weigh in on Duterte’s Davao win from detention

Legal experts question the legitimacy of a mayoral oath taken in international detention – and warn it could set a dangerous precedent.

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Banking & finance

More rich people from mainland, Southeast Asia investing in Hong Kong: Citibank

Hong Kong attracts affluent investors from China and Southeast Asia, boosting Citibank’s client base.

Janus Wu, head of international personal banking at Citibank (Hong Kong). Photo: SCMPOST
US-China relations

‘Not mere pawns’ in big power rivalry: Asean asserts agency at Shangri-La forum

US warnings about China ‘threat’ unlikely to be fully endorsed by Asean, given spectre of steep tariffs under Trump, analyst says.

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Philippine Defence Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jnr delivers his speech at the Shangri-la Dialogue Defence Summit, in Singapore on Sunday. Photo: EPA-EFE
Shangri-La Dialogue

China keeps a low profile at Shangri-La Dialogue. What does that mean?

Instead of defence chief, China sends group from military academies to premier Singapore security forum, prompting speculation.

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Asean

Opinion | This moment in US-China rivalry is Asean’s chance to remake the bloc

Between a new trade deal with China and a potential audience with Trump, Asean has a chance to be the architect of a new regional order.

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South China Sea

Chinese forces patrol Scarborough Shoal to ‘defend sovereignty’

Show of force comes a day after state broadcaster airs rare footage of Chinese military drills on a contested reef of the Spratly Islands.

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Footage aired by state broadcaster CCTV on Friday shows an island defence drill on a disputed reef in the South China Sea. Photo: CCTV
US-China relations

At Shangri-La Dialogue, Pete Hegseth says China aims to alter Asia’s status quo

Pentagon chief urges US allies to step up defence spending in the face of ‘real’ and ‘imminent’ threat posed by Beijing.

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US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth delivers his speech at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore on Saturday. Photo: EPA-EFE
Asia elections

Battle for the Philippines’ 2028 presidency begins: ‘they’ve smelled blood’

A surprising Duterte-Marcos midterm stalemate has shifted focus to the vice-president’s impeachment fight – and the next presidential race.

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Singapore

Double standards in war condemnation would ‘kill our own credibility’: Macron

French president calls on world leaders to be consistent and form a coalition with a rules-based order during keynote address at Singapore forum.

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