The Philippines
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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.
Japan’s Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi looks on during a meeting in Israel on Sunday. He is due in Manila on Thursday. Photo: AP
Japan

Japan’s top diplomat heads to Philippines with South China Sea top of mind

The talks will likely focus on Manila’s push for a South China Sea code with ‘teeth’ as this year’s Asean chair, analysts say.

Tourism

Philippine tourism chief’s magazine cover draws backlash as visitor numbers slip

Viral stories

Filipino woman worships green statue for 4 years, finds out it is animated character Shrek

Ferdinand Marcos Jnr

Exclusive | Philippine army colonel faces charges after anti-Marcos post goes viral

Audie Mongao will also undergo psychiatric tests after he sparked a political storm by withdrawing support for the president.

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Philippine army colonel Audie Mongao’s actions are under military investigation. Photo: Facebook/YourPhilippineArmy
Medicine

Soaring healthcare costs in the Philippines: are doctors’ fees to blame?

Doctors have hit back, saying that they are being unfairly blamed for deeper systemic failures in healthcare financing.

Natural disasters

1 killed, 38 missing after sudden garbage avalanche at Philippines landfill

Landfills and dumpsites in the Philippines have long posed safety risks, especially where poor residents scavenge for food and recyclables.

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Video | Sea of faith fills Manila for Black Nazarene procession

The day-long event began before dawn, with devotees seeking to touch the centuries-old statue believed to confer blessings.

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Crime

Philippine police arrest teenager over alleged online baby sale as cases rise

Police said the teenager had posted the offer online and intended to use the money to cover her tuition.

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Infrastructure

Why the Philippines is taking control of undersea cable security

The moves will help strengthen regional stability and prevent Indo-Pacific connectivity from being quietly weaponised, analysts say.

Hong Kong politics

Outside In | To root out corruption, Hong Kong fire probe must go beyond scapegoats

Public procurement failures often reflect government responsibility, and Hong Kong’s fire investigation must confront that reality.

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Members of the independent investigation committee of the Wang Fuk Court fire, wearing protective suits, inspect the fire scene on December 23. Photo: Jelly Tse
Hong Kong courts

Domestic helper gets 5 months’ jail in Hong Kong for abusing 11-month-old baby

Principal magistrate says that, although the baby turned out to be fine, the offence was serious and involved a breach of trust.

Eastern Court has heard the guilty plea of the helper, who admitted to ill-treating the baby. Photo: Eugene Lee
Aviation

Soap opera in the sky: why Philippine Airlines’ safety video became a viral hit

The melodramatic Filipino teleserye-style video has racked up millions of views online by blending safety rules with storytelling.

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South China Sea

Philippine navy ‘up to the challenge’ of defending territory in South China Sea

Manila is banking on modern ships and global alliances to challenge China’s increasing presence in the contentious waters.

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Ferdinand Marcos Jnr

Uniform justice? Why Philippine military expelled a lawmaker but not VP Duterte

Sources said legal ambiguity and political risk shaped how the armed forces handled two high-profile reservist cases.

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Then Davao mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio is donned with the rank of colonel in the Armed Forces of the Philippines Reserve Command during a ceremony at Davao City Hall in February 2018. Photo: Facebook / Armed Forces of the Philippines
Ferdinand Marcos Jnr

Philippines investigates claims of Chinese dredger using ‘30 identities’

A US-based maritime monitoring group has alleged a Chinese ship used different identities and flags while working in Philippine waters.

A Philippine Coast Guard patrol vessel sails along Manila Bay on December 16, 2025. Photo: AFP
South China Sea

Opinion | Why coastguards, not warships, are shaping future of South China Sea

The test is not claimants resolving their disputes but whether they preserve the infrastructure that keeps encounters from becoming a crisis.

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McDonald's

McDonald’s Philippine rival Jollibee to list global business in the US by 2027

The spin-off and potential US listing of Jollibee Foods Corporation would include all of the company’s businesses outside its home market.

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Ferdinand Marcos Jnr

‘Rule of law’: Philippine military lauds ex-general’s sedition arrest

Romeo Poquiz’s limited influence means his arrest is unlikely to spark a ‘chilling effect’ among former officials, observers say.

Romeo Poquiz was detained at Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Manila after returning from a Bangkok holiday on Monday. Photo: Handout
South China Sea

Trump’s Venezuela move strains Philippines’ rules-based diplomacy, critics say

Critics said the US operation has undercut Manila’s claim to principled diplomacy, given its close alliance with Washington.

Ferdinand Marcos Jnr

Philippine ex-general arrested after call for military to ‘reset’ society

Romeo Poquiz had publicly called for the armed forces to ‘withdraw their support’ from Marcos over the flood control corruption scandal.

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SCMP Highlights

AI scientist leaves US for China; domestic helpers in Asia: 5 weekend reads

From China’s reaction to Maduro’s capture to another AI scientist leaving the US, here are five stories you may have missed over the weekend.

Domestic helpers gather in Hong Kong’s Central to relax and socialise on their Sunday day off. Photo: Karma Lo
Ferdinand Marcos Jnr

Philippines approves U$115 billion budget, slashes ‘back door’ allocations

Marcos used his veto powers to cut unprogrammed appropriations, historically prone to corruption, to their lowest level since 2019.

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Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr delivers a report on government investigative efforts against corruption on November13. Photo: EPA
Asean

‘Not very high’ bar: Philippines inherits Thailand-Cambodia border crisis

Given Asean’s policy of non-interference, the Philippines may be better off leaving peace negotiations to the US and China, experts say.

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Doing Good

Meet the teen with a mission to help artists with his own brand of socks

Darren Lee, the founder of Sababu Socks, talks about providing a lifeline for under-represented artists from the Philippines to Tanzania.

Human rights

Ageing Asia needs domestic helpers, but can it keep them safe?

While the region cries out for care, top source nations the Philippines and Indonesia have tightened controls to curb exploitation and abuse.

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Filipino domestic workers gather on a street in Hong Kong. Indonesia and the Philippines have provided millions of helpers to the rest of Asia over the decades. Photo: Dickson Lee
Defence

Why the Philippines’ military is betting on South Korean defence systems

The US$27.7 million contract covers combat management systems for two next-generation Philippine Navy frigates.

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Hanwha Systems Combat System (CMS) in a simulated anti-submarine warfare scene. Photo: Hanwha Systems
Switzerland

Explainer | Swiss bar inferno joins long list of world’s worst club fires

A look at some of the worst fires in bars, nightclubs and music venues in past decades, where celebrations turned to tragedy in seconds.

Hong Kong society

Hong Kong’s new smoking rules just kicked in. Is everyone sticking to them?

New rules include ban on anyone smoking at designated boarding points for public transport when waiting in queue of two or more people.

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