Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr said on Thursday he would meet U.S. President Donald Trump to discuss issues including immigration, in an effort to influence policy he said could impact a large number of Filipinos in the United States.

The Philippine economy expanded an annual 5.2% in fourth quarter from a year earlier, official data showed on Thursday, missing the median forecast of 5.4% growth in a Reuters poll of economists. On a quarterly basis,

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s administration had aimed for a GDP growth target of 6% to 6.5% in 2024. However, for the second consecutive year, the Philippines fell short after also missing its target in 2023.

Associated Press reported none of the 82 clergy members, including seven bishops, listed in the database have been convicted in any civil court.

MANILA: Philippine authorities are pushing for tougher anti-espionage laws, after the recent arrest of a suspected Chinese spy raised concerns over foreign intelligence threats to national security.

The Philippines economy accelerated in the final quarter of 2024, but full-year growth still missed the official target, signaling that the country's recovery still has some way to go.

Direct flights between India and the Philippines are expected to start this year, Indian Ambassador to the Philippines Harsh Kumar Jain said this week. Indian full-service airline Air India and budget carrier IndiGo are being looked at to serve on the route, Jain shared.

Marcos said he would return a missile system to the US if China ceased its "aggressive behaviour". Read more at straitstimes.com.

In a statement, Palma said that the three priests, who were previously suspended due to allegations of sexual abuse, have been re-integrated into active ministry after going through the “required legal and canonical processes.

In the beautiful island province of Palawan in the Philippines, a group of Chinese nationals pretending to be tourists from Taiwan have been arrested on charges of espionage. According to Filipino media reports,

The government will “shut down everything” if the Supreme Court rules in favor of petitioners challenging the constitutionality of the 2025 General Appropriations Act (GAA), President Ferdinand “Bongbong” R.

A United States-based watchdog on Wednesday launched an online database on more than 80 Roman Catholic priests who have been accused of sexually abusing minors in the Philippines and said the silence of Filipino bishops on the crimes amounted to a cover-up.