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

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.

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,

At least 82 priests and religious brothers associated with the Philippines have publicly accused of sexual abuse with minors, according to a new data provided by BishopAccountability.org, a leading anti-abuse organization.

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.

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.

Philippine priests accused of sex abuse remain in active ministry in the Catholic-majority country, a US-based abuse tracking group said on Jan. 29, 2025, urging the country's bishops to take action and hold the alleged perpetrators accountable.

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.

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

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.

The Filipino wife of a Chinese national arrested recently in the Philippines for alleged espionage denied on Monday that her husband was a spy, saying he worked for a company specialising in self-driving cars.

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