Philippine firefighters enter charred ferry as search continues for dozens missing

September 11, 2026 11:13 AM

Philippine firefighters enter charred ferry as search continues for dozens missing

Philippine firefighters on Friday managed to board a burned-out ferry more than a day after the ship caught fire on its way from Manila to the western province of Palawan, killing five people and leaving more than 80 missing. Thick smoke and extreme heat had prevented firefighters from boarding the ferry, which a manifest said was carrying 117 passengers and 17 crew members when it was engulfed in flames on Wednesday night. The Philippine Coast Guard revised the number of missing from 86 to 84...

Powerful Philippine quake leaves at least 32 feared dead, survivors recount fear

June 8, 2026 10:03 PM

Powerful Philippine quake leaves at least 32 feared dead, survivors recount fear

The death toll in a powerful 7.8‑magnitude earthquake off the southern Philippine island of Mindanao on Monday has risen to at least 32, with dozens of people injured, disaster officials said, as Manila stepped up search and rescue operations. The quake, which triggered tsunami warnings across several countries, hit early in the morning about 20 km (12.4 miles) off the coast of Sarangani province, with tremors felt strongly across Mindanao and 420 km away in the city of Manado on the Indonesi...

Philippines declares food security emergency to curb soaring rice prices

February 3, 2025 10:41 PM

Philippines declares food security emergency to curb soaring rice prices

Philippine Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel declared a food security emergency concerning rice on Sunday to stabilize the extraordinarily high prices of the staple grain. "This emergency declaration allows us to release rice buffer stocks held by the National Food Authority (NFA) to stabilize prices and ensure that rice, a staple food for millions, remains accessible to consumers," Laurel said in a statement. The declaration was made based on recommendations from the National Price C...

Philippine says China coast guard are hindering confidence-building

August 20, 2024 12:34 PM

Philippine says China coast guard are hindering confidence-building

The Philippines on Tuesday said China's coast guard was not helping efforts to build confidence in the South China Sea, after accusing it of ramming and damaging its vessels in the latest in a succession of altercations. The Philippines urges China to refrain from aggressive actions and adhere to international law, said Alexander Lopez, a spokesperson for the country's maritime council, an inter-ministerial body that formulates policy on the South China Sea. The latest incident took place near...

Chinese vessels maintain presence in East China Sea near disputed Senkaku islands for record 158 days

September 16, 2024 6:44 PM

Chinese vessels maintain presence in East China Sea near disputed Senkaku islands for record 158 days

Chinese Coast Guard vessels have maintained an unprecedented presence in the waters surrounding the Japanese-controlled Senkaku Islands in the East China Sea for a record 158 consecutive days, breaking the previous record set in 2021. The Japanese government has expressed grave concerns over the sustained presence of Chinese ships in the contiguous zone and instances of trespassing into territorial waters around the uninhabited islands, known as the Diaoyu Islands in China. "The Japanese gover...