33 m. ago ‘Drowning in money’: Filipinos seethe over ‘stolen’ flood control funds

Mud splattered across gates. Walls daubed with “thief” and “corrupt”. In the Philippines, anger over the misuse of funds set aside for flood control projects has found its target: the properties of contractors accused of siphoning off billions and the offices of government agencies. After rallying outside the Department of Public Works and Highways and pelting it with waste water-filled balloons and rotten fruit on Thursday, protesters descended on the House of Representatives the day afterwards...

Events

63 h. ago Was Philippine police chief sacked for rejecting ‘overpriced’ gun deal?

A controversy over an alleged overpriced firearms deal has intensified in the Philippines, with insiders claiming that national police chief Nicolas Torre III was removed from his post for rejecting a proposed procurement of 80,000 assault rifles – a transaction some believe was padded by billions of pesos. While officials framed Torre’s dismissal as an administrative matter, multiple sources told This Week in Asia he was sacked for rejecting the “overpriced” 8 billion Philippine peso (US$140...

Economics

3 d. ago Trump admin opens criminal mortgage fraud probe into Fed governor Lisa Cook

The US Justice Department has launched a criminal mortgage fraud probe into Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook and has issued grand jury subpoenas out of both Georgia and Michigan, according to documents seen by Reuters and a source familiar with the matter. The investigation, which followed a criminal referral from Federal Housing Finance Agency Director Bill Pulte, is being conducted by Ed Martin, who was tapped by Attorney General Pam Bondi as a special assistant US attorney to assist with...

Politics

3 d. ago Chinese Navy holds "routine patrol" in South China Sea after joint Philippine drills

Chinese Navy holds "routine patrol" in South China Sea after joint Philippine drills  Baird Maritime

Politics

3 d. ago While the PLA was on parade in Beijing, its navy patrolled the South China Sea

China’s navy conducted a “routine patrol” in the contested waters of the South China Sea as “deterrence” on the same day the PLA mounted a massive military parade to mark the 80th anniversary of China’s victory over Japan in World War II. The patrol on Wednesday took place in the wake of Exercise Alon, the biggest-ever joint drill between Australia and the Philippines, which ran from August 15 to 29. A Canadian frigate also took part in the exercise, while several countries, including the United...

Politics

3 d. ago In too deep? Filipino couple under scrutiny in flood control scandal

As public furore mounts over the revelation of widespread corruption in flood control projects in the Philippines, few names have captured public attention more than Cezarah “Sarah” Discaya and her husband Pacifico “Curlee” Discaya. The couple, once virtually unknown, emerged in the spotlight after Sarah Discaya ran against popular Pasig City mayor Vico Sotto in the May midterm elections – only to lose by a landslide. Her biography has since become a lightning rod for scrutiny. Born in London in...

Events

4 d. ago Famed tram in Portugal’s capital Lisbon derails and crashes, killing 17

The death toll in the Lisbon tram crash has risen to 17, an emergency services official said on Thursday. Two of the injured died overnight in a hospital, Margarida Castro Martins, head of Lisbon’s Civil Protection Agency, told reporters. She did not provide the names or nationalities of the dead, saying that their families would be informed first. Another 21 people were injured in Wednesday’s crash, including multiple foreigners who were on the tram popular with tourists, she said. Portugal...

Events

5 d. ago ‘Nothing will change’: why Gen Z Filipinos’ faith in the future is fading

On humid afternoons in Balanga, a few hours west of Manila, 23-year-old communication arts major Aron Josh Santos often imagines life beyond the streets of his provincial hometown. He dreams of becoming a professional photographer – capturing images for the Philippines’ most prestigious publications, perhaps landing projects with the country’s leading creative agencies. But like many Gen Z Filipinos, Santos’ ambitions too often collide with the weight of economic reality in a country where...

Politics

5 d. ago ‘Nothing will change’: Gen Z Filipinos’ faith in the future is fading

On humid afternoons in Balanga, a few hours west of Manila, 23-year-old communication arts major Aron Josh Santos often imagines life beyond the streets of his provincial hometown. He dreams of becoming a professional photographer – capturing images for the Philippines’ most prestigious publications, perhaps landing projects with the country’s leading creative agencies. But like many Gen Z Filipinos, Santos’ ambitions too often collide with the weight of economic reality in a country where...

Politics

5 d. ago Sinking fund: Philippines lost up to US$2 billion in 2 years to flood corruption

The Philippines loses up to 70 per cent of government funds for flood-control projects to corruption, with losses as much as US$2 billion crimping economic growth in the past two years, according to a top official. Average economic losses from corruption in flood control projects under the Public Works Department reached about 42.3 billion pesos (US$738 million) to 118.5 billion pesos from 2023 to 2025, Finance Secretary Ralph Recto said at a Senate budget hearing on Tuesday. The estimate was...

Events

7 d. ago Flood of anger: why Filipinos are turning to social media to expose corruption

As public scrutiny intensifies over anomalous flood control projects in the Philippines, Filipinos have turned to social media spaces such as Reddit to expose the lavish lifestyles of the children of the contractors and public officials linked to the ongoing investigations. Social media accounts and online communities have emerged over the past week, reuploading and collecting videos and posts of certain individuals flaunting their lavish lifestyles, from riding private jets and expensive...

Events

7 d. ago Flood of anger: why Filipinos turn to social media to expose ‘nepo babies’

As public scrutiny intensifies over anomalous flood control projects in the Philippines, Filipinos have turned to social media spaces such as Reddit to expose the lavish lifestyles of the children of the contractors and public officials linked to the ongoing investigations. Social media accounts and online communities have emerged over the past week, reuploading and collecting videos and posts of certain individuals flaunting their lavish lifestyles, from riding private jets and expensive...

Events

7 d. ago Will China boost defence posture as Vietnam deepens footprint in Spratlys?

Beijing may be prompted to fortify its defences in the disputed South China Sea, observers have warned, after new satellite images showed Vietnam had stepped up island-building in the Spratly Islands. Vietnam occupies the most features on the contested Spratlys, which China claims as the Nansha Islands. Rival claimants over all or part of the archipelago include Malaysia, the Philippines and Brunei. Satellite images released on August 22 by the US think tank Centre for Strategic and...

Politics

8 d. ago China decries Taiwanese foreign minister’s visit to the Philippines

China decries Taiwanese foreign minister’s visit to the Philippines  PBS

Politics

8 d. ago China protests Taiwan foreign minister’s visit to the Philippines

China protests Taiwan foreign minister’s visit to the Philippines  The Seattle Times

Politics

1 week ago Will lifestyle checks on Philippine agencies stem flood corruption?

Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr has ordered lifestyle checks on government officials as part of a sweeping review of flood control projects mired in allegations of corruption, but analysts warn the move risks being more symbolic than systemic. Presidential press officer Claire Castro confirmed the directive at a briefing on Wednesday, saying the checks would cover the entire executive branch, starting with the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), which oversees...

Events

1 week ago Beijing accuses Philippines of ‘causing trouble’ in South China Sea

Beijing has accused the Philippines of “causing trouble” in the South China Sea while also suggesting the United States was to blame for fuelling tensions. On Thursday, Zhang Xiaogang, a spokesman for the Chinese defence ministry, criticised joint drills by the Philippines and Australia. “[Manila] has repeatedly courted influence from outside powers to make waves in this area, playing the role of an ass in a lion’s skin,” Zhang said, using a Chinese idiom to accuse it of “jeopardising regional...

Events

1 week ago Australia, Canada, Philippine ships hold drills in tense South China Sea

Australia, Canada, Philippine ships hold drills in tense South China Sea  Al Jazeera

Politics

1 week ago Philippines warns China not to cross ‘red line’ over grounded warship

The Philippines has warned China that any attempt to board or tow away its grounded warship at the Second Thomas Shoal would be crossing a “red line” after Manila detected a sharp rise in Chinese maritime activity around the disputed feature in the South China Sea. Philippine Navy Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad told reporters on Tuesday that the military was closely monitoring a surge in Chinese maritime activity near the shoal, including the deployment of a navy tugboat for the first...

Events

1 week ago To counter Beijing in South China Sea, Manila and Canberra forge defence pact

Australia and the Philippines’ push to finalise an “enhanced defence cooperation” agreement by next year underscores how regional allies are accelerating security coordination in response to China’s growing assertiveness in contested waters, a shift analysts say could reshape strategic dynamics in the South China Sea. The talks were announced during a Friday press conference in Manila, where Australian Deputy Prime Minister and defence chief Richard Marles and Philippine Defence Secretary...

Politics