Latest Philippines government News

Philippines says it won't back down, but won't start a war, after clash with Chinese Coast Guard

Jun. 23, 2024 02:17 AM EDT

MANILA, Philippines (AP) — The president of the Philippines said Sunday his country would not yield to “any foreign power” after Chinese forces injured Filipino navy personnel and damaged at least two military boats with machetes, axes and hammers in a clash in the disputed South China Sea,...

Takeaways from AP's report on Philippines governor's interest in natural gas

Jun. 21, 2024 11:50 AM EDT

BATANGAS, Philippines (AP) — The Philippines is engaged in a major buildout of natural gas power at a time when scientists say the world needs to urgently phase out fossil fuel use because of climate change. Analysts say Filipinos will likely pay more for their electricity and that additional...

Philippines won't invoke mutual defense treaty with US after Chinese confrontation at disputed shoal

Jun. 21, 2024 08:36 AM EDT

MANILA, Philippines (AP) — The Philippines said Friday it has no plan to invoke its mutual defense treaty with the United States after the Chinese coast guard reportedly rammed, boarded and used machetes and axes to damage two Philippine navy boats in a chaotic faceoff that injured Filipino navy...

Vietnam says it's ready to hold talks with Philippines on overlapping continental shelf claims

Jun. 21, 2024 06:16 AM EDT

HANOI, Vietnam (AP) — Vietnam is ready to hold talks with the Philippines to settle their overlapping claims to the undersea continental shelf in the South China Sea, official Vietnamese media said Friday, in a diplomatic approach that contrasts with China’s increasingly assertive actions to...

Politician who pushed Philippines natural gas boom is behind firm that planned to profit

Jun. 20, 2024 21:19 PM EDT

BATANGAS, Philippines (AP) — An influential politician in the Philippines, who has been a cheerleader for natural gas power, is behind a company that planned to make a fortune from it, an Associated Press investigation of thousands of pages of documents has found. Gov. Hermilando...

Mutual defense pact between North Korea and Russia raises new questions, but it's far from unique

Jun. 20, 2024 06:13 AM EDT

BANGKOK (AP) — A new mutual-defense pact signed by Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un commits each country to come to the other's aid if attacked. Just what the threshold for such assistance would be is currently unclear -- maybe deliberately so,...

Philippines demands China return rifles and pay for boat damage after hostilities in disputed sea

Jun. 19, 2024 21:40 PM EDT

MANILA, Philippines (AP) — The Philippine military chief demanded Wednesday that China return several rifles and equipment seized by the Chinese coast guard in a disputed shoal and pay for damages in an assault he likened to an act of piracy in the South China Sea. Chinese...

Philippine Vice President Sara Duterte resigning from posts in Marcos' Cabinet as alliance flounders

Jun. 19, 2024 21:03 PM EDT

MANILA, Philippines (AP) — Philippine Vice President Sara Duterte is resigning from her posts of education secretary and head of an anti-insurgency body, as her whirlwind alliance with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. unraveled over key differences, including efforts to arrest a religious leader...

Philippine officials say Chinese forces seized 2 navy boats in disputed shoal, injuring sailors

Jun. 18, 2024 10:07 AM EDT

MANILA, Philippines (AP) — Chinese forces seized two Philippine rubber boats that were delivering food and other supplies to a military outpost in a disputed South China Sea shoal in a tense confrontation in which some Filipino navy personnel were injured, Philippine security officials said...

China blames Philippines for ship collision in South China Sea. Manila calls the report deceptive

Jun. 17, 2024 09:16 AM EDT

TAIPEI (AP) — A Chinese vessel and a Philippine supply ship collided near the disputed Spratly Islands in the South China Sea on Monday, China’s coast guard said, in the latest flare-up of escalating territorial disputes that have sparked alarm. The coast guard said a Philippine...