Philippines

The Philippines is set to launch a study on mixing China's Sinovac doses with other COVID-19 jabs. (Source photos by Reuters and Getty Images) 
COVID vaccines

Philippines to study mixing Sinovac with other COVID vaccines

Government-funded research seeks to address supply woes

24 May 2021
The portfolio of Dennis Uy's Udenna group extends from energy to telecommunications and beyond. (Photo by Yuichi Shiga)
Business deals

Philippine tycoon Uy's group buys Shell gas unit for up to $460m

Udenna secures 90% stake in Malampaya field while acquiring expertise

22 May 2021
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte receives Sinopharm's COVID-19 vaccine at the Malacanang presidential palace in Manila on May 3. (Photo by PCOO)
COVID vaccines

Philippines fights vaccine bias in face of Pfizer preference

Officials renew calls for public to take jabs that are available

20 May 2021
Great Deals founder and CEO Steve Sy, left, and Fast Group President William Chiongbian II: the Philippine startup has raised $30 million in a fundraising round led by Fast Group. (Photo courtesy of Great Deals) 
Startups

Philippine e-commerce startup Great Deals raises $30m

Online retail services provider to San Miguel and Unilever eyes expansion

19 May 2021
The Philippine government aims to boost the country's post-pandemic economic recovery this year with a package of stimulus measures. 
Economy

Philippines eyes $3.6bn stimulus in bid to exit recession

2021 growth target lowered to 6-7% amid new COVID bout

18 May 2021
A Revolution prefabricated home on display in Paris: The Philippine company and its founder, Robbie Antonio, made headlines with its promise to deliver quick-to-assemble luxury homes. (Source photo by courtesy of Revolution Precrafted)
Business Spotlight

As the Philippines' first unicorn stumbles, can 'camels' rise?

Revolution Precrafted becomes a cautionary tale for valuation-focused startups

14 May 2021
Mitsui & Co. handles megasolar projects in the U.S. and Mexico. (Photo courtesy of the company)
Environment

Mitsui to build megasolar farm in Philippines with local partner

Japanese group embarks on first such venture in Southeast Asia with $60m project

13 May 2021
Local officials stand near a community quarantine checkpoint in Metro Manila in February. Surging coronavirus cases prompted further lockdown measures.
Economy

Philippines and Malaysia log GDP falls as COVID waves blur outlook

Manila reports 4.2% contraction while neighbor's decline slows to 0.5%

11 May 2021
As Rodrigo Duterte's presidential term enters its final year, many Filipinos see his daughter Sara as his logical successor.
Asia Insight

Duterte's daughter Sara in focus as his presidency winds down

Sea change Philippine elections in store as China and US face off in disputed waters

11 May 2021
Singapore banks buck fears that ASEAN lenders are being flooded by pools of nonperforming loans. (Photo by Shinya Sawai)
Finance

Singapore banks set tone for ASEAN peers in reducing bad debts

Lenders' profits improve as COVID recovery reduces nonperforming loans

7 May 2021
People stand outside shuttered businesses as they queue for free goods in Quezon city, Metro Manila, on Apr. 19: what Duterte forgot to look out for was the economy.
Opinion

Duterte's China groveling tells wider story of his economic failures

Kowtowing to Xi Jinping was Philippine president's original sin

6 May 2021
Chinese vessels at the Scarborough Shoal April 2017. Beijing took control of Scarborough Shoal in 2012 after a monthslong standoff with the Philippines.
South China Sea

Philippines hits out at China's 'dangerous' move in South China Sea

Manila's foreign secretary swears at Beijing amid prolonged feud

3 May 2021
Rodrigo Duterte holds a vial of Sinovac vaccine from China on Feb. 28: the vaccines he was hoping to get from China are not coming as fast he had promised.
Opinion

Will it take another street fighter to defeat Duterte?

Walls close in on a presidency that emerged from the Philippines' darkest corners

1 May 2021
The Monde Nissin IPO is expected to be the largest-ever on the Philippine Stock Exchange.
DealStreetAsia

Philippine noodle-maker Monde Nissin receives PSE nod for $1.3bn IPO

The company to expand production and technological capacities in UK and Asia

26 April 2021
Ayala CEO Fernando Zobel de Ayala says the Philippine conglomerate is preparing for a post-coronavirus economic recovery. (Source photos by EPA/Jiji and screenshot from Ayala's website) 
Companies

Philippines' Ayala takes 'long-term' view on Myanmar amid crisis

Subsidiaries eye bid for Citi's local business, healthcare and logistics investments

23 April 2021
Singapore plans to ride the wave of interest for SPACs, having put forth a regulatory framework, which could be finalized around the middle of the year.
IPO

Singapore and Philippines trail in Asia IPOs amid SPAC boom in US

ASEAN stock exchanges fail to cash in on region's tech startups

21 April 2021
A woman receives the Sinovac Biotech vaccine in Manila. Across Southeast Asia, companies are moving to vaccinate their employees for free.
Business trends

Philippines and Indonesia lead ASEAN companies' COVID vaccine push

Businesses to inoculate employees for free in bid to restart operations

20 April 2021
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, left, and Russian President Vladimir Putin held a virtual meeting this week (Source photos by Getty Images and Reuters).
International relations

Duterte turns to 'hero' Putin for vaccines as China feud drags

Philippine leader orders 20m of Russia's Sputnik V jabs during virtual summit

16 April 2021
Troops from the Philippines and the U.S. take part in the "Balikatan" exercises in May 2018. (File photo by AP)
South China Sea

Philippines and US boost defense ties amid South China Sea feud

Military drills kick off in show of alliance that Duterte played down

12 April 2021
Children wade out to fishing boats in Tacloban: what lies beneath is the desperate poverty.
Opinion

How the Philippines' fishing communities are overcoming poverty

Piggy bank concept shows its power during the pandemic

9 April 2021
After  sparring between Chinese and Philippine officials over dozens of Chinese ships in the disputed South China Sea, President Rodrigo Duterte has sought to ease tensions. (Nikkei montage/Reuters)
South China Sea

Duterte faces China dilemma over 'militia' in South China Sea

Philippine president avoids criticizing Beijing, hoping for pandemic aid

8 April 2021
Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga will decide on a visit to the Philippines and India after weighing the situation with the coronavirus pandemic. 
International relations

Japan's Suga eyes Philippines and India visit in April-May

Prime Minister to reaffirm cooperation with China's maritime presence in mind

7 April 2021
Tanjung Priok Port in Jakarta. Analysts revised up Indonesia's economic growth for 2021.
Economy

Vaccines seen helping Singapore and Indonesia rebound: survey

Economists cut 2021 growth forecasts for Malaysia, Philippines and Thailand

6 April 2021
This satellite image provided by Maxar Technologies shows Chinese vessels in the Whitsun Reef located in the disputed South China Sea on March 23. (Maxar Technologies via AP)
South China Sea

Philippines and China intensify war of words over South China Sea

Manila slams Beijing anew for not withdrawing ships in disputed waters

5 April 2021
Malaysian Foreign Minister Hishammuddin Hussein, left, bumps elbows with Chinese counterpart Wang Yi in Nanping, in China's Fujian Province, on April 1.
International relations

China's ASEAN diplomacy pushes back against US 'encirclement'

Beijing backs summit on Myanmar while courting Malaysia and others

2 April 2021