Day: September 10, 2025

Manila: The government vowed to intensify efforts to enhance climate resilience and improve workforce agility to future-proof the country’s labor market, the Department of Economy, Planning, and Development (DEPDev) said Wednesday. DEPDev issued the statement following the softer labor market conditions observed in July 2025, largely due to economic disruptions caused by a series of extreme weather events. According to Philippines News Agency, the latest Labor Force Survey data released by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) showed that the country’s labor force participation rate (LFPR) in July 2025 was estimated at 60.7 percent, down from the 63.5 percent recorded in

Seoul: The Philippines and Mongolia are looking into exploring collaboration in several key areas, including humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR) and counterterrorism, as part of ongoing efforts to enhance their defense relations. This initiative was discussed during a meeting between Department of National Defense (DND) Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. and his Mongolian counterpart, Batlut Damba, on the sidelines of the Seoul Defense Dialogue (SDD) 2025 in South Korea. According to Philippines News Agency, aside from HADR and counterterrorism, a DND statement on Wednesday said the two officials also agreed to explore practical collaboration in peacekeeping operations. “Both also discussed

Tokyo: Shigeru Oda, who served as a judge for the International Court of Justice for 27 years, died of natural causes at the age of 100 at his home on Sept. 4. As the leading global figure in the theoretical field of ocean law, Oda, a native of the northern Japan prefecture of Hokkaido, had a massive impact on the operations of diplomacy. He also served as honorary professor at Japan’s Tohoku University. According to Philippines News Agency, Oda was appointed an ICJ member in 1976, during his career at the university. Serving three terms as a judge of the

Tunis: The Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF) for Gaza reported that one of its key vessels, the ‘Family Boat,’ was allegedly hit by a drone off the coast of Tunisia. The incident occurred early Tuesday, involving the boat carrying pro-Palestinian advocates, including Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg. However, Tunisian authorities have denied these claims. According to Philippines News Agency, Tunisia’s state TAP news agency quoted the Interior Ministry saying that the Portuguese-flagged ship was not struck by a drone while anchored outside the port of Sidi Bou Said. The ministry clarified that security units inspected the scene and found that a

Seoul: Japanese Defense Minister Gen Nakatani and Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. have agreed to strengthen cooperation between Japan’s Self-Defense Forces and the Philippine military. This decision comes amid China’s expanding military presence in the East and South China Seas. According to Philippines News Agency, during the meeting held in Seoul, both defense chiefs also decided to expedite discussions on concluding a General Security of Military Information Agreement (GSOMIA). This agreement would enable the two nations to share classified information, enhancing their collaborative efforts. After their meeting, Minister Nakatani expressed the significance of this commitment, stating, “The fact that