Philippines

The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) has included a provision of P16.9 billion for wage increases in the planned 2024 National Expenditure Program (NEP), a significant step toward improving the welfare of government employees. With the pay increase being implemented gradually under the Miscellaneous Personnel Benefits Fund (MPBF) rules, the allocation is expected to benefit a sizable number of …

A forward-thinking viewpoint on military education in the Philippines can be seen in Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri’s support for the ROTC program’s reintroduction and his emphasis on tailoring it to meet modern demands. Zubiri recently stated his support for a “modified” ROTC program that considers cybersecurity and other contemporary military concerns. The proposed legislation aims to restructure the ROTC …

Ferdinand Marcos Jr., the President of the Philippines, has reportedly approved the adoption of the National Security Policy (NSP) 2023-2028. Cheloy Velicaria-Garafil, Secretary of the Presidential Communications Office of the Philippines, said that the president signed and approved the policy on August 10 in order to tackle national security challenges. Malacañang Palace, the official residence and principal workplace of the …

The Philippines’ President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. recently stressed the importance of an upcoming marine cooperation pact between the Philippines and Vietnam. It is hoped that this agreement, which aims to promote cooperation between the two countries, will play a crucial part in resolving the ongoing problems in the South China Sea and promoting stability in the area. The President …

China on Tuesday repeated its call for The Philippines to remove a grounded warship from a disputed shoal, after Manila strongly stressed it would not abandon the area. Chinese and Philippine vessels had another tense encounter on August 5 in the disputed body of water, with Manila accusing its neighbour of using water cannons. The Philippines also raised concerns over …

The 5.767 trillion Philippine government budget for the 2018 year has sparked worries about a possible rise in national debt. According to Ralph Recto, the deputy speaker of the House, this budget might cause the government to accrue more debt, amounting to an estimated 4 billion every day. Only 11.7 billion of the country’s daily spending goal 15.8 billion can …

Recent developments have once again brought attention to how tense the South China Sea still is. On August 6, 2023, the Chinese Coast Guard used water cannon at Philippine ships delivering supplies to the Spratly Islands’ Second Thomas Shoal. In retaliation, the Philippines denounced China’s actions as “illegal” and “dangerous,” accusing it of putting lives in danger and breaking international …

Inflation in the Philippines was at 4.7% last month, compared to the 5.4% recorded in June, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reported in a briefing on Friday. The figure is also within the 4.1% to 4.9% range the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas forecasted for the month. July’s Inflation The Slowest Since March 2022 The Southeast Asian country has been recording …

The Department of Justice (DOJ) has blocked Arnolfo Teves’ assets as the opening action under the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020 in response to the beleaguered politician’s identification as a terrorist. According to Mico Clavano, a spokesman for the DOJ, this asset freeze is merely a preventative measure for future actions the agency may take against the named person. Resolution No. …

The European Union (EU), a supranational political and economic union of 27 member states, is set to boost cooperation with the Philippines on maritime security. Ursula von der Leyen, the President of the European Commission, said on Monday that the EU was ready to strengthen the cooperation with the Philippines on maritime security in the region. She highlighted the importance …