Philippines

A US Armed Forces advance party, which will join the 2023 "Balikatan" exercises next month, will arrive in the Philippines on 20 March

Authorities are trying to contain an oil spill from a sunken tanker that could threaten the rich biodiversity of more than 20 marine protected areas

The order to import about 450.000 tonnes of sugar by the Department of Agriculture is aimed at managing inflation and building up a reserve stock to adequately meet the country's needs

The price of onions has risen so much that they now cost more than chicken or beef, becoming a luxury item for Filipinos; the country's authorities have also seized illegal onion shipments, such as those from China

The investigation to determine whether the New Year's Eve air traffic disruption was due to a cyber attack, conducted by the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center, is expected to be complete by next week

Scientists identified 228 key biodiversity hotspots in the country, but only 91 are currently part of protected areas; the adoption of the new Global Biodiversity Framework, which commits signatories to protect 30% of ecosystems by 2030, could change this

Over 7.800 Filipinos were repatriated from overseas this year in an effort to ensure their welfare and safety, part of the Marcos administration’s efforts to boost government response to the needs of Filipinos abroad

Authorities have launched a new incentive programme aimed at overseas Filipino workers, many of whom live in the Middle East, to encourage them to bring foreign visitors to the country

The country is witnessing a major boom in child sexual abuse; resources are limited and many children are placed in homes or orphanages with no training or experience to deal with abused children

The US and the Philippines are initiating talks on a civil nuclear cooperation agreement, based on US exports of nuclear equipment and materials to the country, as announced by US Vice President Kamala Harris during a visit to Manila