The elevation of Philippines-Japan relations to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership following the summit meeting between President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. and Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi in Tokyo last week marks a defining moment. As the two countries celebrate seven decades of...
At a time of great peril and uncertainty, Pope Leo XIV has issued the encyclical entitled Magnifica Humanitas (Magnificent Humanity) – an epistle of robust hope that seeks to invigorate Christians and Catholics in tackling present-day realities. Human dignity is the focal point of Magnifica...
The government 's investigation into alleged irregularities and questionable budget insertions in flood control projects is both necessary and long overdue. Public funds intended to protect communities from floods must be used for their intended purpose, and those responsible for any misuse...
The Philippine financial sector is entering a new era where artificial intelligence (AI) is no longer limited to chatbots or automated customer service. Increasingly, banks and financial technology (fintech) firms are adopting AI-driven risk and identity solutions designed to verify users, prevent...
The appointment of Francis Tolentino as Secretary of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) comes at a crucial moment for the Philippine labor sector. Inflation continues to erode household incomes, workers are demanding higher wages, businesses fear rising operational costs, and...
The Philippine economy enters the second half of 2026 with mixed prospects. Recent analyses by the Department of Economy, Planning, and Development and forecasts made by the Institute of International Finance paint a cautiously optimistic picture. The Philippines remains among Southeast Asia’s...
The state visit of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to Japan from May 26 to 29 carries significance far beyond diplomatic ceremony. It reaffirms the enduring strength of Philippine-Japan relations at a time when both countries confront complex geopolitical, economic, and energy security challenges....
The Supreme Court’s razor-thin 9-5-1 vote denying Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa’s plea for a temporary restraining order against a possible International Criminal Court (ICC) arrest is a critical turning point for institutional independence in the Philippines which has long been haunted...
Washington’s latest proposal for a new artificial intelligence (AI) hub in New Clark City resembles an extraterritorial arrangement. The United States (US) is asking Manila to grant diplomatic immunity and US common law jurisdiction to the 1,600-hectare industrial zone—an unprecedented request....
The appointment of Kim Robert C. De Leon as the new secretary of the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) comes at a time when public confidence in government spending is dangerously fragile. The lingering outrage over the flood control scandal, coupled with frustrations over delayed services,...
The fate of major mass transport projects in the Philippines is shaped not only by engineering expertise or access to foreign financing. More fundamentally, it is determined by the quality of governance that guides these undertakings from conception to completion. The contrasting experiences of the...
At a time when wars, territorial disputes, and geopolitical rivalries are redefining the global order, the peacemaking initiative undertaken by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. during the recent 48th ASEAN Summit deserves far greater attention than it has thus far received. On the sidelines of the...
