Philippines

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said Tuesday that Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan had pardoned 143 Filipino prisoners serving in the United Arab Emirates. Considered as a great humanitarian deed, this action marks a turning point in the relations between the two countries and provides much-needed help to the families of the pardoned people. Particularly, the law validates the diplomatic …

Fresh claims that Senator Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go, once a close friend of President Rodrigo Duterte, might have participated in a “cash-for-kills” reward system have revived the long-running controversy over the extrajudicial killings (EJKs) connected to the war on drugs. Go has angrily denied any participation in the operational elements of the brutal anti-narcotics campaign as the debate gets more …

Key player in the running of Pastor Apollo Quiboloy’s Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) in California, Marissa Duenas has agreed to a plea deal with the US Attorney’s Office (USAO). Serving as the human resources manager for the KOJC branch in Van Nuys, Duenas has chosen to enter a guilty plea to conspiracy to defraud the United States in return …

Former Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo attended a high-profile Senate Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations, and Gender Equality hearing in Pasay City on September 9, 2024 despite growing claims she is a Chinese spy. The claims, which have grown more severe recently, highlight her alleged interaction with China’s Ministry of State Security (MSS). These assertions mostly rely on records …

The Philippines has upgraded its relationship with South Korea. This happened after Marcos and South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol met. According to the news sources South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol arrived at the Malacañang Palace on Monday morning as part of his state visit to the Philippines. This news was announced and confirmed by the official press release …

Another stride in the improvement of its bilateral trade relationship is being taken by the Philippine Embassy in the UAE with the welcome it recently extended to Special Envoy Ma. Anna Kathryna Yu-Pimentel. CEPA is constantly urging to pursue negotiations that will help bring about the country’s first trade deal with a member of the Gulf Cooperation Council. Historic Trade …

Wednesday, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. signed into law a significant piece of legislation imposing a 12-percent Value Added Tax (VAT) on foreign digital services including Netflix, Amazon, and other international platforms. Focusing on foreign digital companies that have achieved phenomenal growth in the Philippines, this measure complements a more overall strategy to increase government revenue. By incorporating these global sites …

Beginning in May, the congressional investigations on former Bamban, Tarlac mayor Alice Guo concentrated mostly on her possible ties to offshore gaming operations connected to notable criminal behavior. But among all these investigations, one of the most shocking theories surfaced: Alice Guo might be a Chinese spy. Legislators and the general people began to question the likelihood of foreign espionage …

Aiming at accelerating the approval of the national budget, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has certified as urgent House Bill (HB) No. 10800, often known as the General Appropriations Bill (GAB). Following the certification of the President, this measure—which details the expected P6.351 trillion national budget for 2025—is set to be carried right away in the House of Representatives. By removing …

Pressing further with its investigation on the contentious escape of former Bamban Tarlac mayor Alice Guo, the Senate Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations, and Gender Equality alongside the Committees on Migrant Workers, Public Order and Dangerous Drugs is Under Deputy Minority Leader Risa Hontiveros, who will conclude the proceedings by the end of the day, the inquiry is scheduled …