British trade minister in Philippines to seek post-Brexit business ties
Dr Liam Fox, one of the leaders of the Brexit campaign and now minister for trade, is currently paying a two-day visit to the Philippines, hoping to boost trade between …
Haul of smuggled coral stolen from Philippine waters seized in Singapore
A haul of 75 hard corals and five soft corals that were illegally smuggled into Singapore from the Philippines have been seized by the city state’s Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority …
Duterte hopeful that Abu Sayyaf leader has been killed
The lack of any intelligence reports about Abu Sayyaf leader Isnilon Hapilon has raised hopes that he is dead. As we reported in January, Hapilon was seriously wounded during military airstrikes. …
Trump: If China doesn’t deal with North Korea, we will do it ourselves
President Trump has warned China that if it fails to make North Korea disable its nuclear programme, then the US would be prepared to take action alone. The words come …
National food month to celebrate culinary heritage of the Philippines
With Lent soon coming to an end, the Philippines is celebrating its culinary heritage throughout the month of April. A mouth-watering calendar of events is planned across the country to …
Boaty McBoatface? Philippine Red Cross invites public to name its new ship
The Philippine Red Cross (PRC) is inviting a “Boaty McBoatface” moment by inviting the public to name a new ship. This time last year, Britain’s National Environmental Research Council put …
US warship calls at Subic bay as joint military exercises confirmed
A US Navy destroyer has made a port call in Subic Bay as it’s announced that annual US-Philippine war games will go ahead. The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer, the USS …
The 4,000-year-old dream: What will the new Chinese empire look like?
CHINESE EMPIRE: There was once a country at the very centre of the world, whose position was recognised as such by peoples both far and wide. Today, we call that …
Ben’s bargains: Top ten Angeles City hotels for less than 50 bucks
Although the Philippines is notoriously cheap, there’s no reason to sacrifice quality in the search of decent accommodation. Having experienced rooms with no running water and beds crawling with millipedes it …
Twelve killed in clashes between army and communist rebels on eve of peace talks
Philippine troops clashed with communist rebels, leaving 10 guerrillas and two soldiers dead, military officials announced today (Friday, March 31). The deaths come just days before peace talks are due …
Watch (if you can stomach it): Filipino breaks burger eating world record
The Guinness world record for the most burgers eaten in one minute has been claimed by a Filipino. Zark’s burgers in Pasay City, Manila, was the scene of the virtuoso …
Hell hath no fury: Lady senators slap down Duterte after attack on the press
Two lady senators have defended the media after President Duterte’s latest expletive-filled tirade accusing them of bias. As we reported yesterday, the president singled out TV channel ABS-CBN and newspaper …
Fears that plan to scrap barangay elections is presidential power grab
Allies of Philippines Duterte have prepared legislation to postpone elections to barangay (village) councils and instead allow him to personally choose replacements. If approved by Congress, the move would make …
High-speed Manila-Clark railway remains on track thanks to Japanese
Japan has agreed to finance three massive rail projects worth $8.8 billion — including a high speed railway connecting Manila and Clark. Funding for the flagship project has already been offered by …
China’s bare-faced denial: “Artificial islands? There are no artificial islands”
There is “no such thing” as man-made islands in the South China Sea, China’s Defence Ministry has said, claiming that any building work was for civilian purposes only. China, which lays …
In foul-mouthed rants, Duterte threatens critical news outlets with ‘karma’
In a foul-mouthed tirade, President Duterte has called two major news outlets “sons of whores” and warned them of “karma” for their negative coverage of his war on drugs. The …
Fisherman cast adrift for two months tells his remarkable tale of survival
A young Filipino fisherman has flown home after surviving two months adrift at sea. Rolando Omongos, aged 21, recounted his astonishing tale of survival when he arrived at Manila airport, …
Preparations for “The Big One” Manila earthquake step up a gear
Government agencies are stepping up their preparations for the “Big One” — the 7.2-magnitude earthquake expected to one day hit Metro Manila. It is believed that when the West Valley …
Sex offender thought Filipino children being abused online “looked happy”
An Australian paedophile, who directed the live sexual abuse of Filipino children online told a court that he thought the victims looked “happy”. Bryan Beattie, aged 44, is the first …
Woman dies on operating table during triple cosmetic surgery procedure
An attractive 29-year-old Filipina died on the operating table while undergoing breast enlargement, buttock enhancement and liposuction. Shiryl Saturnino died at the Icon Clinic in Mandaluyong City, east of Manila, …
Communist rebels torch school after being refused children’s dinner money
Communist guerrillas burned down a school after teachers refused to give them a share of the children’s dinner money. The New People’s Army (NPA) attempted to extort “revolutionary tax” from …
Gruesome moment dead man is cut from belly of huge snake
This is the horrifying moment the body of a missing Indonesian man was cut from the belly of an enormous python. A 25-year-old farmer, named only as Akbar, went missing …
End of the road: Can plan to phase out old jeepneys ever get into gear?
The latest attempt to remove smoke-belching traffic-clogging old jeepneys from the nations gridlocked streets are causing controversy. Talk of a “jeepney phaseout” has been heard for decades, and now a new …
A treat for nature lovers: BBC Earth in HD is coming to the Philippines
Lovers of nature documentaries in the Philippines will soon be able to watch BBC Earth in HD. BBC Worldwide has announced a partnership with Cignal TV to launch the channel …
Brussels demands answers after Duterte threatened to hang EU officials
The European Union is demanding explanation for an foul-mouthed tirade by President Duterte, who threatened to hang EU officials for criticising his plans to bring back the death penalty. The …
China completes military bases on three disputed South China Sea islands
China has completed three military bases on artificial islands in the South China Sea, according to a US think tank which monitors activity in the disputed waters. The Asia Maritime …