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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.
Illustration: Huy Truong
SCMP Highlights

Singapore’s stability woos investors; Omega-3 and brain risks: 5 weekend reads

From Hong Kong schools’ rise in students to Singapore’s investment stability, here are five stories you may have missed over the weekend.

Crime

Remote control: the inmates running crime empires from Philippine prison

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US-China relations

Opinion | China shouldn’t view a tired US as signifying a Europe ready to pivot

India

Vietnam joins rush for India’s battle-tested ‘strong, non-Western’ BrahMos

As a joint Indo-Russian venture, BrahMos offers a supersonic, non-Western alternative to US hardware with no Nato-linked conditions.

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A man waves India’s national flag in front of a replica of the BrahMos missile system in Ahmedabad last year. Photo: AFP
China-Philippines relations

Asian Angle | 3 reasons Marcos’ South China Sea energy gambit won’t work

The Philippine president has mooted the idea of joint oil and gas development. China is willing, but history shows this road leads nowhere.

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South Korea

Video | Asia’s new crime wave is emerging from behind bars

Armed with a smartphone, a new breed of remote criminal operates from Southeast Asia’s prisons.

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Women and gender

‘Foreigner won’: Filipinos divided over pageant winner’s US roots

Some social media users have questioned Bea Millan-Windorski’s win, while others say being Filipino is about ‘culture, history and belonging’.

Bea Millan-Windorski will represent the Philippines at the Miss Universe pageant in November. Photo: Facebook/Miss Universe Philippines
United States

Decoding this year’s US-Japan-Philippines Balikatan drills

Analysts say this year’s drills, which stress tested a new generation of mobile strike capabilities, were a pointed display of resolve.

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2026 Xi-Trump summit

Latest US-China rivalry combines undersea dominance with a race to riches

Ahead of leaders’ summit in Beijing next week, experts point to a high-stakes competition that features military and mining technologies.

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Asean

Asean to step up push for South China Sea code, energy security

Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr says the code of conduct is key to unlocking deeper China-Asean economic cooperation.

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Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr addresses a press conference on the sidelines of the 48th Asean summit in Cebu province on Friday. Photo: EPA
Defence

Philippines shifts defence strategy with Japan, eyes wider security focus

Defence chief Gilberto Teodoro says the Diaoyu Islands are now considered a ‘serious concern’ and the Balikatan drills will also be expanded.

Philippine troops take part in counter-landing live‑fire exercises during the Balikatan joint military exercises at Long Point Beach in Palawan, the Philippines, on April 27. Photo: Reuters
China-Japan relations

Are China and Russia flexing their maritime muscle near Japan?

Tokyo’s recent tracking of three PLA Navy warships transiting Tsushima Strait comes amid heightened regional tensions.

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South China Sea

Why is a Chinese research ship a flashpoint with Philippines in South China Sea?

Beijing and Manila trade accusations after incident near Iroquois Reef in the disputed Spratly Islands this week.

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Video | Filipino cowgirls tackle stereotypes

Dozens of young women like Rizza Matutino compete each year at the Rodeo Masbateno.

This photo taken on April 13, 2026, shows a participant trying to catch a cow during the Rodeo Festival in the province of Masbate. While larger provinces boast more cattle, the Masbate rodeo -- begun in 1993 in a bid to boost tourism -- has become synonymous with the island province of fewer than one million. (Photo by Jam STA ROSA / AFP) / To go with ‘Philippines-Culture-Sport-Rodeo’ Focus by Chad Williams and Pam Castro
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Asean

Asean’s pivot to energy security leaves long-standing issues on summit sidelines

Southeast Asia is one of the worst affected by the global fuel crisis due to its high imports of oil and gas coming from the Gulf.

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Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr delivers an opening speech at the Asean summit in Cebu on Friday. Photo: Reuters
Asean

Opinion | Why China’s warning over military blocs is finding listeners in Asia

For regional governments, strategy is about preserving options. China has read this instinct carefully and given it a diplomatic vocabulary.

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Thailand

‘No longer a time for war’: Thailand, Cambodia pledge peace at Asean summit

Both sides agreed to build trust and pursue peace after last year’s border fight, with further talks planned to solidify ties.

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Banking & finance

Macroscope | Australia’s interest rate rise signals growing hawkish stance in Asia

Reserve Bank of Australia is less an outlier than a harbinger of global monetary trends in the wake of war-induced supply shocks.

A pedestrian walks past a petrol station with fuel prices on display in Williamstown, Australia, on March 26. Photo: AFP
Japan

Opinion | US allies in Asia are looking to build middle-power coalitions

Faced with the US’ unreliability and China’s ascent, countries such as the Philippines are creating new networks of partnerships.

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China-Japan relations

China condemns Japan’s first overseas ‘offensive missile’ test since WWII

Beijing says Japan’s ‘neo-militarism’ is a ‘scourge’ that threatens regional peace and stability.

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Disease

Spain opens port to virus-hit cruise ship as rare Andes strain confirmed

Madrid steps in to help the MV Hondius, a luxury cruise ship at the centre of an international health scare.

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The MV Hondius anchored off Cabo Verde. Photo: AP
Rodrigo Duterte

Hiding from the ICC? Philippine senator’s 6-month paid absence draws fire

Ronald Dela Rosa has not appeared for work since reports of him being targeted by the ICC as a co-perpetrator in Duterte’s deadly drug war.

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Philippine former national police chief and now Senator Ronald Dela Rosa tries a semi-automatic rifle during a defence and sporting show in Pasay City in 2023. Photo: AFP
Japan

Why Japanese politician’s goal to reset ties with Russia is ‘a long shot’

A proposed meeting of foreign ministers from Tokyo and Moscow is unlikely for now due to objections from the Japanese public and allies.

US Army

US Army fires Typhon for first time during Balikatan drills in Philippines

Beijing has opposed the deployment of the Typhon, which is able to strike targets in Chinese territory from the Philippines.

Foreign domestic workers in Hong Kong

Will Hong Kong’s lending clampdown wean helpers off debt – and save their dreams?

NGOs say regulations should not be so strict that they deny domestic helpers access to loans since they may have legitimate needs such as family emergencies.

Illustration: Victor Sanjinez
Japan

Japan, Philippines to fast-track transfer of navy destroyers

The two countries’ shared grievances over Chinese territorial claims have seen them draw increasingly close in recent years.

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Japan’s Defence Minister Shinjiro Koizumi (left) and Philippines’ Defence Secretary Gilbert Teodoro Jnr shake hands after a bilateral meeting in Manila on Tuesday. Photo: AFP
Sara Duterte-Carpio

Philippine VP’s impeachment case heads to plenary vote amid coercion claims

Duterte-Carpio’s camp has accused administration allies of pressuring legislators to support the impeachment or risk withdrawal of funds.

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Middle East

Middle East conflict pushes Philippine inflation to 3-year high

Higher fuel, food, transport and utility costs forced inflation to 7.2 per cent last month, the highest since March 2023.

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