MANILA, April 3, 2024 (AFP) – The Philippines warned of “high tsunami waves” and called for the evacuation of coastal areas in the country’s north on Wednesday, lowering an earlier warning after a major quake struck neighbouring Taiwan. “The people in the coastal areas of the following provinces are strongly advised to immediately evacuate to higher grounds or move farther inland,” the state seismology institute said in an advisory. Coastal areas in the provinces of […]
Tag: philippines
Iran releases remaining Filipino crew members from seized tanker (St. Nikolas)
The Philippines said Wednesday that Iran has freed all 18 Filipino crew members of an oil tanker that was seized in the Gulf of Oman in January. Iran’s navy had boarded the Greek-owned St. Nikolas, which was carrying 19 crew, off the coast of Oman. The only Greek crew member was released the following week. Tehran began freeing the Filipino crew in batches at the end of January after a replacement crew was hired from […]
“We will not be cowed into silence,” says President Marcos after China sea clash
President Ferdinand Marcos said Thursday the Philippines will not be “cowed into silence” by Beijing after confrontations in the South China Sea that injured Filipino troops and damaged vessels. Marcos’s remarks came as China blamed the Philippines for raising tensions in the hotly contested waterway, which Beijing claims almost entirely. Beijing and Manila have a long history of maritime territorial disputes in the South China Sea and there have been repeated confrontations between their vessels […]
Philippines says three soldiers hurt by China water cannon
MANILA, March 24, 2024 (AFP) – Three Philippine troops were injured in the latest China Coast Guard water cannon attack on a Filipino supply vessel near a South China Sea reef, Manila’s national security adviser said Sunday. The Philippine government said Saturday’s confrontation caused severe damage to the Unaizah May 4 vessel while it was on its way to deliver troops and provisions to a Philippine navy ship grounded atop the Second Thomas Shoal. China […]
Philippines accuses China of water cannon attack on supply vessel
MANILA, March 23, 2024 (AFP) – The Philippines accused the China Coast Guard of blocking and firing water cannon at a Filipino supply vessel Saturday morning off a remote and contested South China Sea reef. The Philippine military said the attack occurred off Second Thomas Shoal, where Chinese ships have unleashed water cannon and collided with Filipino vessels in similar stand-offs in recent months. The military released video clips that showed a white ship […]
Living in extraordinary times! ASEAN in Focus – March 21, 2024
Blinken says US stands by ‘ironclad’ commitments to defend Philippines
By Léon BRUNEAU MANILA, March 19, 2024 (AFP) – US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Tuesday that the United States stands by its “ironclad” commitments to defend longtime ally the Philippines against armed attack in the South China Sea. Blinken’s visit to Manila is his second since Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos took office in 2022 and is part of a brief Asia tour to reinforce US support for regional allies against China. Beijing claims […]
Blinken to meet Philippine leader on bolstering alliance
MANILA, March 19, 2024 (AFP) – US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is due to hold talks with Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos on Tuesday, as the countries seek to reinforce security and economic ties in the face of growing Chinese aggression. Blinken’s visit to Manila — his second since Marcos took office in June 2022 — is part of a brief Asia tour that also included South Korea. Washington is keen to improve relations with […]
Biden to host Philippines, Japan leaders to counter China
WASHINGTON, March 19, 2024 (AFP) – WASHINGTON, March 19, 2024 (AFP) – US President Joe Biden will hold the first three-way summit with the leaders of the Philippines and Japan next month, the White House said Monday, as the United States boosts alliances against China. Biden’s meeting with Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida at the White House on April 11 is the latest in a series of meeting with Asia-Pacific […]
EU and Philippines relaunch free trade talks
BRUSSELS, Belgium, March 18, 2024 (AFP) – The European Union and the Philippines announced the resumption of negotiations for a free trade agreement on Monday, with Brussels saying the first round of talks should begin “later this year”. “The conditions are right to take our trade relations to the next level,” EU trade commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis said at a press conference in Brussels. Talks began in 2015 under then-Philippine president Benigno Aquino but stalled […]
Hundreds rescued from Philippines scam centre: police
Hundreds of people forced to work in an online scam centre in the Philippines were rescued in a raid on Thursday that also saw eight suspects arrested, according to police. Acting on a tip from a Vietnamese man who alleged to have escaped the sprawling compound north of capital Manila, police said they unmasked an operation where suspected victims of human trafficking were forced into conducting various online scams. “The rescued workers told us (the […]
Philippine Coast Guard says its ship damaged in collision with Chinese vessel
MANILA, March 5, 2024 (AFP) – The Philippine Coast Guard said one of its ships was damaged Tuesday in a collision with a China Coast Guard vessel during a resupply mission to Filipino troops on a remote outpost in the South China Sea. It is the latest incident in waters around Second Thomas Shoal in the Spratly Islands where the countries have contesting maritime claims. Chinese coast guard and other vessels undertook “dangerous manoeuvres […]





