Philippines

PHILIPPINES: Following an off-the-scheduled 75 basis point rate hike to battle inflation, the Philippine central bank’s governor indicated on Friday that it “may or may not” boost interest rates at its policy meeting in August. Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor Felipe Medalla indicated in a phone message that the bank will be “data reliant.” The central bank, however, will remain …

PHILIPPINES: Philippine journalist Maria Ressa, less than a year removed from receiving the Nobel Peace Prize for her work to safeguard free speech, is currently fighting to avoid jail time while her news site Rappler faces possible closure. A strong critic of former Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte and his bloody drug campaign, the intrepid veteran reporter refuses to be intimidated …

MANILA: Colleges and universities will be able to choose between online and face-to-face sessions, according to the Commission for Higher Education (CHED) on Wednesday, July 13. Flexible learning can be used for some degree programs, while face-to-face instruction is required for others, CHED chairperson Prospero de Vera III remarked, “We are leaving it up to the universities to decide what …

MANILA: The present administration of Okada Manila, the Philippine casino at the center of a contentious ownership battle, claims that business increased in June. It said that foot traffic was up 8% from a month earlier in June and was 74% of its pre-pandemic level, and that the casino planned to open more stores and add entertainment activities in response …

MANILA: The Dumagat people, who live in the Sierra Madre mountains, have always had basic aspirations. The mountain range has served as both a source of food and a shield for the tribe. Prosperity of the Dumagat’s ancestral realm rests only on their stewardship of their ancestral forest and streams. Danny Escaraga, a tribe leader from Quezon, says, “We only …

MANILA: At its August meeting, the Philippines central bank is prepared to hike its policy interest rates by 50 basis points and follow up with further policy measures to manage inflation and fight currency depreciation, the country’s central bank governor said on Thursday. There are “strong depreciation pressures” on the peso spurred by a hawkish tone from the U.S. Federal …

MANILA: From this effort to exist openly came up The Gay Liberation Front (GLF). The Stonewall Inn riots in 1969 were a response to police raids that targeted persons who were clearly LGBT or non-conforming of gender — a historical predecessor to what we now know as Pride in America. Equally in the 1960s and 1970s, the term “safe place” …

MANILA: Since its premiere in 2001, Hayao Miyazaki’s film “Spirited Away” has pushed the limits of what is possible in the world of animation. For 19 years, it was Japan’s highest grossing picture of all time, and it changed the public’s perception of animated films, showing that they can be more than just cartoons for children. It was also the …

MANILA: Ferdinand Marcos Jr., the son of Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos, said on Tuesday (July 5) that he wanted relations with Beijing to be about more than just their dispute over the South China Sea, and he emphasized the importance of multilateral engagement in dealing with problems. Before Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi’s visit to Southeast Asia, Marcos told a …

PHILIPPINES: Marcos Jr. has a wide range of issues when he assumes office as president of the Philippines on Thursday (June 30). These range from growing inflation and the COVID-19 pandemic recovery to balancing relations between the United States and China, two competing superpowers. However, despite the fact that the 64-year-old is only permitted to serve one term as president, …