Day: November 1, 2025

Beijing: The Philippine eVisa operations have officially resumed in China with a soft launch on Saturday, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) announced. The Philippine Embassy in Beijing and other foreign service posts in China will commence full implementation on November 3. According to Philippines News Agency, under the new system, Chinese nationals residing in mainland China, Macau, and Hong Kong can apply for Philippine eVisas for tourism and business purposes. These visas will be valid for entry through Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Metro Manila and Mactan-Cebu International Airport in Cebu. The eVisa permits a single, non-extendable, and non-convertible

Gyeongju: President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. joined Asia-Pacific leaders in concluding the 2025 APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting on Saturday, as member economies adopted the Gyeongju Declaration, a landmark commitment to harness artificial intelligence (AI), digital innovation, and inclusive growth across the region. According to Philippines News Agency, the declaration, issued after two days of talks chaired by South Korean President Lee Jae Myung, reaffirmed APEC leaders’ pledge to strengthen cooperation and deliver economic growth ‘that benefits all,’ recognizing that the rapid rise of AI and demographic shifts are reshaping labor markets and development strategies in the Asia-Pacific. The region’s leaders

Gyeongju: President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. congratulated Chinese President Xi Jinping on China’s assumption of the 2026 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) chairmanship. This gesture comes amid ongoing maritime tensions between Manila and Beijing in the West Philippine Sea (WPS). According to Philippines News Agency, the two leaders met during the symbolic turnover ceremony of APEC’s chairmanship at the Hwabaek International Convention Center in Gyeongju. South Korean President Lee Jae-myung officially handed over the hosting duties to Xi Jinping at the close of the 2025 summit. President Marcos expressed his congratulations to President Xi in a social media post, emphasizing the

Manila: President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. moved a step closer to realizing the Philippines’ long-envisioned submarine capability, holding high-level talks with South Korean defense giant Hanwha Ocean on the sidelines of the 2025 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit here. The meeting centered on Hanwha’s comprehensive proposal to support the Philippine Navy’s submarine acquisition and operations, a key component of Marcos’ Self-Reliant Defense Posture (SRDP) agenda amid rising tensions in the West Philippine Sea. According to Philippines News Agency, under the plan, Hanwha Ocean offered to assist in the construction of a dedicated submarine base, the establishment of a local maintenance,

Manila: The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has mobilized a team with partner government agencies and local government units (LGUs) to contain and assess the impact of a massive wastewater spill in Bais City, Negros Oriental. Some 255,000 cubic meters of molasses wastewater that leaked into Bais Bay from the Universal Robina Corporation (URC) ethanol distillery plant are posing a serious threat to marine life within the Ta±on Strait Protected Seascape. Bais has declared a state of calamity. According to Philippines News Agency, initial water quality assessments conducted by the DENR-Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) indicate low levels of

Manila: President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. is advancing his industrial and energy modernization agenda by securing new high-technology and clean energy projects from leading South Korean conglomerates during the 2025 APEC Summit. According to Philippines News Agency, President Marcos participated in a high-level meeting with Samsung Electro-Mechanics Co., Ltd. (SEMCO) where he witnessed the signing of a Supplemental Agreement between the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) and Samsung Electro-Mechanics Philippines Corp. (SEMPHIL). This agreement will enable a PHP50.7 billion expansion of Samsung’s manufacturing operations in Calamba, Laguna, anticipated to create over 3,000 jobs for Filipino engineers and technicians in the