The Myanmar government has rejected the request made by ASEAN’s special envoy and Philippine Foreign Affairs Secretary Theresa Lazaro to meet with detained former leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, on June 30. Myanmar presidential spokeswoman Dauw Khaing Khaing Soe stated that San Suu Kyi is currently serving a sentence. Access, she maintained, will only be granted by the government once Suu Kyi has “finished serving her sentence.”
Category: Philippines
Philippine President Pours Millions into Aid for Conflict‑Prone South
Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. visited Maimbung in Sulu province on June 29 to inaugurate the new Regional Mobile Force Battalion (RMFB) 9B headquarters and witness the ceremonial surrender of former militia members.
Philippines Cuts Airline Fuel Surcharge to Lowest Level Since Middle East Price Spike
Air passengers in the Philippines will pay the lowest fuel surcharges in three months from July 1, after the country’s aviation regulator ordered a sharp reduction tied to easing global jet fuel prices.
Philippines to strengthen domestic tourism through “Discover More to Love” campaign
On June 20, The Philippine Department of Tourism (DOT) introduced a new campaign, “Discover More to Love,” aimed at encouraging more Filipinos to explore destinations within the country while supporting local tourism businesses.
The West Philippine Sea Must Not Become ASEAN’s Testing Ground for Unchecked Autonomy
When Chinese water cannons shattered the cockpit windscreen of a Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) vessel and injured crew members in the West Philippine Sea (WPS), the incident was reported as another act of maritime harassment. But what made this confrontation different was not just the violence, it was the technology.
Philippines’ Clark airport secures US$400 million German investment
The Philippine-German joint venture Lufthansa Technik will invest 400 million US dollar to develop a major aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) facility at the Philippines’ Clark International Airport.
Philippines’ Senate elects Gatchalian after Duterte bloc weakens
The Philippine Senate has witnessed a leadership showdown following a coalitional shift that ended the 28-day tenure of the former President RodrigoDuterte’s close ally, Senator Alan Peter Cayetano. He was replaced by Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian on June 17, which was followed by leadership reorganisation within the committee chairmanships.
Timor-Leste extends Independence Day greetings to the Philippines
On June 13, Timor-Leste extended its congratulations to the Philippines on the occasion of its Independence Day, reaffirming the longstanding friendship between the two Southeast Asian nations and expressing solidarity with communities recovering from a recent earthquake.
Beijing sanctions Philippine defense chief over ‘irresponsible’ comments
On June 11, China formally announced sanctions on Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. and his family, prohibiting them from entering mainland China, Hong Kong and Macau, and banning them from conducting business with firms originating from these areas. The decision to sanction him was in response to what Beijing called Teodoro’s “irresponsible remarks on China” in relation to China’s claim in the South China Sea.
Philippines-Canada enhance defence ties to shield supply chains and bolster minerals trade
The Philippines and Canada have agreed to enhance their defence partnership as the groundwork for deeper cross-border commerce, paved by the ratification of a Mutual Logistics Support Arrangement (MLSA) on June 11 in Ottawa.