Philippines

US, Japanese, Philippine leaders discuss China's behaviour in S China Sea

The three leaders agreed on the importance of continued coordination to advance a free and open Indo-Pacific

MoS Margherita to visit Philippines, Palau, Micronesia from Jan 14-21

According to the MEA, this visit is expected to strengthen India's partnership with the Philippines, Palau, and FSM, aligning with India's Act East Policy and Indo-Pacific vision

Afghans arrive in Philippines to process visas for resettlement in US

A group of Afghan nationals arrived in the Philippines Monday to process special immigrant visas for their resettlement in the United States, as part of an agreement between Manila and Washington. The Philippines agreed last July to temporarily host a US immigrant visa processing centre for a limited number of Afghan nationals aspiring to resettle in America. Department of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Teresita Daza said the Afghan nationals who landed in the Philippines on Monday were provided entry visas. She said they had completed extensive security vetting and undergone full medical screenings prior to their arrival. The US government will cover the costs for the Afghan nationals' stay in the Philippines, including their food, housing, security, medical and transportation expenses, she said. She didn't specify how many Afghans arrived or how long the visa processing will take. Under the Philippines' rules, visa applicants can stay for no longer than 59 days. A senior Philippi

Philippines' Marcos signs into law record $109 billion budget for 2025

The spending is higher than a projection of 6.18 trillion pesos announced earlier this month, when revenue was forecast at 4.64 trillion pesos and the budget deficit at 5.3 per cent of GDP

Evacuations underway in Philippines as volcano at Mt Kanlaon erupts

A plume of hot ash and gases up to three kilometres high forced residents to seek shelter after a volcano in the Philippines erupted on Monday. There were no immediate reports of casualties in the latest explosion of Mount Kanlaon, on central Negros island, but authorities shut schools and imposed a nighttime curfew after several villages were hit by ashfalls that clouded the the visibility of motorists and sparked health concerns. It sounded like a cannon, Mayor Jose Chubasco Cardenas of Canlaon city, which lies southeast of the volcano, told The Associated Press by telephone. There have been quiet eruptions before, but this was one very loud. Disaster-response officials raised the danger level around Kanlaon due to a greater risk of hazardous volcanic activity and ordered villagers within a six-kilometre radius of the crater to be evacuated. About 100 people had fled to emergency shelters in Canlaon by nightfall after the mid-afternoon volcanic eruption, Cardenas said. The number

US, Japan, and Philippine forces jointly patrol in South China Sea

The United States deployed a reconnaissance aircraft while Japan and the Philippines sent navy ships in a joint patrol in the disputed South China Sea on Friday, two days after the allied forces condemned actions by Chinese coast guard vessels against Philippine patrol ships. The US Indo-Pacific Command said the joint patrol was conducted in the Philippines' exclusive economic zone by allies and partners to uphold the right to freedom of navigation and overflight " and "other lawful uses of the sea and international airspace." Those phrases are used by the US, Japan and the Philippines to oppose China's increasingly aggressive actions in the disputed waters. Two Philippine security officials said the patrol was staged about 40 nautical miles (74 kilometers) from Scarborough Shoal, a fishing area hotly disputed by Beijing and Manila off the northwestern Philippines. The two officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they didn't have authority to discuss such details ...

Philippines launches e-Visa for Indians, enabling faster travel processing

The rollout of the e-visa system has been in development since 2019

China's coast guard blasts water cannon, sideswipes vessel: Philippines

Chinese coast guard vessels, backed by navy ships, fired powerful water cannons and blocked and sideswiped a Philippine patrol vessel Wednesday in renewed aggression in a disputed shoal in the South China Sea, Philippine officials said. Three Philippine coast guard and bureau of fisheries vessels were on routine patrol to protect Filipino fishermen at the Scarborough Shoal when several Chinese coast guard and navy ships approached and staged aggressive actions after dawn, the Philippine coast guard said. There was no immediate comment from Chinese officials. In the past, they have repeatedly cited China's sovereignty in the contested offshore region and their determination to defend what they say is their territory despite a 2016 international arbitration decision that invalidated Beijing's historical claims. China's reported actions in the disputed waters came after a respite of more than a month while back-to-back major storms prevented many Philippine fishing and commercial vesse

Latest typhoon lashes Philippines, causing tidal surges, displacing masses

A powerful typhoon wrecked houses, caused towering tidal surges and forced hundreds of thousands of people to flee to emergency shelters as it cut across the northern Philippines on Sunday in the sixth major storm to hit the country in less than a month. Typhoon Man-yi slammed into the eastern island province of Catanduanes on Saturday night with sustained winds of up to 195 kilometers (125 miles) per hour and gusts of up to 240 kph (149 mph). The country's weather agency warned of a potentially catastrophic and life-threatening situation in provinces along its path. There were no immediate reports of casualties from the typhoon, which was forecast to blow northwestward on Sunday across northern Luzon, the archipelago's most populous region. The capital region of metropolitan Manila would likely be spared from a direct hit but was placed, along with outlying regions, under storm alerts and warned of dangerous coastal storm surges. The rain was minimal, but the wind was very strong a

Philippines enacts maritime laws to strengthen sovereignty amid tensions

Experts suggest that these laws are part of a broader strategy by Manila to counter China's growing assertiveness in the region

Philippines braces for another typhoon, fifth major storm to hit in 3 weeks

The fifth major storm in three weeks approached the Philippines on Thursday, prompting more largescale evacuations and a United Nations request for emergency funds to help the government ease the plight of hard-hit villagers. Typhoon Usagi had sustained winds of up to 185 kilometers (115 miles) per hour and gusts of up to 230 kph (143 mph) and was forecast to strengthen further before slamming Thursday afternoon into the coast of Cagayan province at the northern tip of Luzon, the country's most populous agricultural region. Another storm was brewing in the Pacific and may hit the northern Philippines this weekend, according to forecasters. The country's weather agency warned of life-threatening tidal surges of up to three meters (nearly 10 feet) in coastal areas of Cagayan and seven other nearby provinces and clusters of islands, and urged all ships to remain in port or immediately take shelter. Typhoon Toraji blew away from the northern Philippines just two days ago after unleashi

India-Philippines mark 75 years of diplomatic ties, unveil special logo

Following the event, Jaishankar also shared a post on X and expressed gratitude adding that he also highlighted the logo, which captures both nations' special relations

Don't expect Trump will demand payment for protection: Philippine def secy

Philippine Defence Secretary Gilberto Teodoro said Tuesday that he didn't expect President-elect Donald Trump's next administration would demand that the Philippines pay more for military protection because both allies faced the shared threat of China. Teodoro was speaking at a news conference with Australian Defense Minister Richard Marles following an inaugural bilateral annual meeting aimed at improving security ties. Asked if Trump would expect the Philippines, like Taiwan, to pay for U.S. protection, Teodoro replied: I really don't expect some sort of a statement from Mr. Trump, hopefully not. I really don't have any preconditions or any assumptions as to what will be the outcome of this administration, except on what we are working on on institutional ties, he said. We have an interest, both the United States and the Philippines, in ensuring that our partnership continues because not totally, but principally ... of shared threats. And that is undoubtedly the overreach and

Storm-weary Philippines evacuates thousands as another typhoon hits

A new typhoon barreled across an agricultural region in the northeastern Philippines on Monday after thousands were evacuated to safety while still struggling to recover from the devastation caused by three successive storms in the last three weeks. Typhoon Toraji slammed into northeastern Aurora province and was forecast to blow over the mountainous Luzon region, where President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. just the day before inspected the damage from the last storm and led the distribution of food packs to residents in Cagayan and Ilocos provinces. Marcos skipped this week's Asia-Pacific Cooperation forum in Peru to oversee recovery efforts from back-to-back storms. After making landfall in Aurora on Monday morning with sustained winds of up to 130 kilometers (81 miles) per hour and gusts of up to 180 kph (112 mph), the typhoon was expected to barrel northwestward across Luzon, weaken as it crosses a mountain range and then blow into the South China Sea. Interior Secretary Jonvic Remul

At least 115 dead, missing in massive flooding, landslides in Philippines

The number of dead and missing in massive flooding and landslides wrought by Tropical Storm Trami in the Philippines has exceeded 100 and the president said Saturday that many areas remained isolated with people in need of rescue. Trami blew away from the northwestern Philippines on Friday, leaving at least 81 people dead and 34 others missing in one of the Southeast Asian archipelago's deadliest and most destructive storms so far this year, the government's disaster-response agency said. The death toll was expected to rise as reports come in from previously isolated areas. Dozens of police, firefighters and other emergency personnel, backed by three backhoes and sniffer dogs, dug up one of the last two missing villagers in the lakeside town of Talisay in Batangas province Saturday. A father, who was waiting for word on his missing 14-year-old daughter, wept as rescuers placed the remains in a black body bag. Distraught, he followed police officers, who carried the body bag down a .

Tropical storm battering Philippines leaves 23 dead in flooding, landslides

Widespread flooding and landslides set off by a tropical storm in the northeastern Philippines on Thursday left at least 23 people dead, swept away cars and prompted authorities to scramble for motorboats to rescue trapped villagers, some on roofs. The government shut down schools and offices except those urgently needed for disaster response for the second day on the entire main island of Luzon to protect millions of people after Tropical Storm Trami slammed into the country's northeastern province of Isabela after midnight. The storm was blowing over Aguinaldo town in the mountain province of Ifugao after dawn with sustained winds up to 95 kph and gusts up to 160 kph. It was blowing westward and was forecast to enter the South China Sea later on Thursday, according to state forecasters. At least 23 people died, mostly due to drowning in the hard-hit Bicol region and nearby Quezon province but the toll was expected to rise as towns and villages isolated by flooding and roads ...

Saudi Arabia executes Filipino convict despite presidential appeal

Saudi Arabia has put to death a Filipino citizen convicted of murder despite years of efforts by the Philippines to prevent the execution, including a presidential appeal, officials said Monday. Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr and other officials did not provide details, including the identity of the Filipino and the nature of the case, citing a family request for privacy. A Philippine official with knowledge of the case, however, said the Filipino was arrested by Saudi Arabian authorities in 2020 after being accused of the killing. The death penalty was handed down with finality last year and the execution was carried out on Saturday, the official said. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because of a lack of authority to discuss the details of the execution publicly. Asked by reporters for comment, Marcos said the execution was very unfortunate and that his administration would provide help to the executed person's family. We appealed to the better nature, I gu

Powerful typhoon lash northernmost islands of Philippines, schools shut

A powerful typhoon was lashing the northernmost islands of the Philippines on Monday, prompting officials to evacuate villagers, shut down schools and inter-island ferries and warn of "potentially very destructive" damage to coastal villages. Typhoon Krathon was last tracked over the coastal waters of Balintang island off the provinces of Cagayan and Batanes with sustained winds of up to 175 kilometres per hour and gusts of up to 215 kilometres per hour, according to government forecasters. The slow-moving Krathon was blowing westward and could strengthen into a super typhoon when it veers northeastward on Tuesday toward Taiwan, they said. There were no immediate reports of casualties or damage. The weather agency warned of "moderate to high risk of life-threatening storm surge" in the next 48 hours in the coastal villages of Batanes, the nearby Babuyan islands and Cagayan province and said fierce winds could rip off roofs, topple trees, damage farmlands and whip up high waves. "T

Tata Play expands OTT reach to Philippines through tie-up with Cignal TV

Tata Play's OTT platform Binge will now expand to Philippines as the company has entered into partnership with the country's local media - Cignal TV to launch the Cignal Super app

US missile system will remain in Philippines despite China's alarm

American and Filipino security officials have agreed to keep a US mid-range missile system in the northern Philippines indefinitely to boost deterrence despite China's expressions of alarm, two Philippine officials said on Wednesday. The US Army transported the Typhon missile system, a land-based weapon that can fire the Standard Missile-6 and the Tomahawk Land Attack Missile, to the northern Philippines as part of combat exercises in April with Philippine troops and to test its deployability aboard an Air Force aircraft. Tomahawk missiles can travel over 1,000 miles (1,600 kilometers), which places China within their target range. Officials are considering keeping the missile system in the northern Philippines up to April next year, when US and Philippine forces are scheduled to hold their annual Balikatan Tagalog for "shoulder-to-shoulder" large-scale combat exercises, he said. The two officials spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because they were not ...