Manila agreed to facilitate the US’—its long standing ally—effort to “shore up” supply chains. On April 16, Jacob Helberg, US Under Secretary of State for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment, mentioned a plan to establish a 4,000–acre (16,1 km2) industrial hub in the Luzon Economic Corridor.
Category: Philippines
19 NPA fighters killed in as Philippine Army intensify operations in Negros Occidental
Heavy crossfire between the 79th Infantry Battalion (79IB) under the Philippines Armed Forces and the communist New People’s Army (NPA) erupted on April 19 in Sitio Plaringding within the municipality of Toboso, Negros Occidental.
Filipino girl group BINI debuts at Coachella 2026
The Filipino pop girl group BINI continues to break records in the Philippines’ music scene as they concluded their Coachella 2026 feature on April 10 and 17. Composed of eight members: Aiah, Colet, Maloi, Gwen, Stacey, Mikha, Jhoanna and Sheena, the group has rapidly risen to prominence, becoming the most successful female Filipino artists in the country’s history and the second biggest overall act in the national music landscape.
Philippines prepares Balikatan 2026 drills with 17,000 troops
The Philippines is preparing for the Balikatan 2026 military exercises in Northern Luzon and Palawan scheduled between April 20 to May 8. Seven nations, including the Philippines, the US, Australia, Japan, Canada, France, and New Zealand, are set to deploy around 17,000 troops.
The Philippines seizes cyanide in Chinese boats near Ayungin Shoal
The Philippines National Security Council (NSC) made a shocking discovery on April 13 that suspicious bottles seized from the Chinese sampans near the BRP Sierra Madre (LS-57), the permanent military outpost in Ayungin Shoal (Second Thomas Shoal), tested positive for cyanide.
Metacinema and The Subvertion of Expectations in Philippine Film Leonor Will Never Die
Leonor Will Never Dieis a 2022 psychological comedy drama film from the Philippines. It is written and directed by Martika Ramirez Escobar as her directorial debut. The film is supported by the Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP) through CreatePHFilms funding programme and Full Circle Lab. The film premiered at Sundance Film Festival 2022 and won a Special Jury Prize for Innovative Spirit. It also won Amplify Voices in Toronto International Film Festival 2022.
Philippines to provide fare discounts and fuel subsidies for public transport
On April 9, Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. stated that the government will implement a nationwide transportation programme that includes subsidised fares and fuel discounts. The scheme will be implemented on April 15 in order to prevent the pressure caused by surging oil prices due to the conflict in the Middle East.
Philippines sees sharp decline in birth rates
Women in the Philippines are having fewer children than ever before, with the country’s fertility rate continuing to fall below the level required to sustain population growth, according to a new survey released by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).
Philippines seeks Iran’s assurance for energy security amid Hormuz blockade
On April 1, the Philippine Secretary of Foreign Affairs Teresa Lazaro, along with Secretary of the Department of Energy (DOE) Sharon S. Garin, convened a meeting with the Iranian Ambassador Yousef Esmaeilzadeh to discuss the country’s energy lifelines.
Hundreds stage strikes in Philippines’ capital as fuel costs rise
On March 26, hundreds of transport workers in Manila, the Philippines, have launched a strike in protest against surging fuel prices, as the Philippines grapples with a worsening energy crisis.