Stories from Philippines

An engagement between unarmed forces and a local armed group occurred on April 19 on Luzon Island in the central Philippines. Non-armed forces engaged with a local armed group in central Luzon, Philippines, during an operation on April 19. The clash resulted in multiple casualties, according to reports. The incident is part of ongoing regional armed conflict.

Aboitiz InfraCapital, Inc. (AIC) is raising its capital expenditure to P8.8 billion for 2026 from P4.1 billion in 2025. The increase is intended to fund infrastructure expansion projects.

The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) arrested five individuals involved in a fake notary public operation.

The ruling allows the suspension to proceed as previously ordered.

Filipino fishermen report facing life-threatening risks when venturing into disputed maritime territories. These areas include Scarborough Shoal and Sabina Shoal, which are located within the Philippines' exclusive economic zone. The fishermen describe the environment as coercive regarding maritime boundaries. Local perspectives suggest that maritime boundaries are not being respected in these regions.

The Philippine peso reached a low of P60.81 to $1 during morning trading on Tuesday. The currency opened at P60.8 and fluctuated between P60.77 and P60.81. This represents the lowest recorded value since March.

Digital wallet provider GCash has implemented a zero-tolerance policy against 'quishing' scams. The company is actively blocking fake and illegal websites to protect users from QR code phishing attempts.

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida reported to the Prime Minister's office that he will visit the Philippines from April 30th to May 2nd. He was welcomed by Prime Minister Tolam. The visit included high-level government representatives from both nations. The visit aimed to strengthen cooperation and mutual support on international and regional issues of common concern. The Prime Minister of Japan will travel to the Philippines tomorrow to attend an Asia Summit. Minister Dato' Seri Anwar Ibrahim will lead the Malaysian delegation to meetings in the Philippines tomorrow. He is expected to attend the ASEAN-Indo-Pacific Forum, ASEAN Summit, and ASEAN+1 Summit with Indonesian and Philippine leaders. Bilateral meetings with ASEAN member state leaders are also possible.

Maynilad is increasing its water storage capacity and activating additional wells to mitigate the potential impacts of El Niño. This initiative aims to ensure a stable water supply in the face of anticipated dry conditions.

A cybersecurity summit has been announced and is scheduled to take place in the Philippines. The summit aims to address cybersecurity concerns and foster collaboration. The event is scheduled to take place in Manila. Further details on the summit's agenda or participants were not disclosed. The summit aims to address critical issues within the nation's digital security landscape. The summit will focus on addressing digital security challenges. The event will focus on the role of AI in cybersecurity and the shift from AI hype to governance execution. ISAC and the Retail Council of Canada are partnering on retail cybersecurity initiatives.