The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) announced that the Philippine eVisa operations in China officially resumed with a soft launch on Saturday. Full implementation by the Philippine Embassy in Beijing and other foreign service posts in China will begin on November 3. Under the new system, Chinese nationals from mainland China, Macau, and Hong Kong…
Amid ongoing developments in social media and artificial intelligence, the Supreme Court (SC) has approved the 2025 Code of Conduct and Accountability for all court officials and personnel which addresses contemporary ethical challenges and strengthens the prohibition on so-called gratuities. In an official statement, the Office of the SC spokesperson disclosed that the new code was…
President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. and Chilean President Gabriel Boric agreed to speed up the signing of the Philippines-Chile Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), a landmark free trade deal that would mark the Philippines’ first agreement in Latin America. The two leaders met on the sidelines of the 32nd Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders’…
Mastercard has introduced Mastercard Threat Intelligence, the first large-scale threat intelligence solution purpose-built for the payments ecosystem, marking a major step in the global fight against cyber-enabled financial crime. The new platform fuses Mastercard’s global fraud insights with Recorded Future’s cyber threat intelligence, giving financial institutions across Asia-Pacific (APAC) real-time visibility into evolving threats. This…
The Land Bank of the Philippines has made it easier for farmers and fisherfolk to access credit by integrating online applications into its AGRISENSO Plus Lending Program. The move aims to bring agricultural financing within reach of more rural communities through faster, more convenient, and more transparent digital processing. Launched on October 30 at the…
The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is inviting public feedback on a proposed policy that seeks to cap interest rates and service fees for lending and financing activities, in a move aimed at protecting borrowers from predatory practices. In a draft memorandum circular released Thursday, the SEC outlined plans to set a maximum 6 percent…
New and expansion projects approved by the Philippine Economic Zone Authority as of end-October 2025 jumped 41.72 percent to P175.37 billion, the agency reported Friday (Oct. 31, 2025). For October 2025 alone, approved investments surged 162.64 percent to P20.66 billion. (Photo grabbed from PEZA Facebook page) The Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) is riding a strong…
Personnel of the BRP Jose Rizal (FF150) guide an AW159 Agusta Westland Wildcat Helicopter as it lands aboard the Philippine Navy vessel before the start of the Philippine-US-Australia-New Zealand Multilateral Maritime Cooperative Activity on Oct. 29, 2025. The latest exercise reflects the four nations’ commitment to strengthening maritime cooperation, enhancing interoperability, and championing a rules-based…
President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. (left) and South Korean President Lee Jae-myung hold a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the APEC Summit in Gyeongju, South Korea on Friday (Oct. 31, 2025). Both leaders vowed to deepen PH-South Korea strategic partnership, which was formalized last year. (Photo courtesy of Presidential Photojournalists Association) BUSAN, South Korea —…
The Philippine government said it is coordinating with United States authorities to ensure the protection and humane treatment of Filipinos detained by the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), as the Trump administration tightens its immigration policies. Foreign Affairs spokesperson Angelica Escalona said Saturday that the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), through the Philippine Embassy…