Category: Philippines

US Secures Access to Philippines Military Bases, Improving Deterrence Against China

The United States has secured a deal that will grant it access to four military bases in the Philippines. The move will shore up a critical weakness in the United States’ defensive preparations for potential hostilities in the region from China’s communist regime. The deal is an expansion of the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA),…


US Expands Access to Philippines Military Bases, Boosting Deterrence Against China

The United States has secured a deal that will expand America’s military presence in the Philippines through access to four more military bases in the Southeast Asian nation. The move, announced on Feb. 1, will shore up a critical weakness in U.S. defensive preparations for potential hostilities in the region from China’s communist regime. The agreement is…


US, Philippines Plan to Broaden American Military Presence Amid China Concerns

The United States and the Philippines on Thursday announced plans to bolster the U.S. military presence in the Southeast Asian country as part of efforts to deter the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP’s) mounting aggression in the South China Sea, as well as toward Taiwan. A joint statement posted on the websites of both countries said that…


Strong Quake Shakes Southern Philippines, Classes Suspended

DAVAO, Philippines—A strong, shallow earthquake shook a mountainous region in the southeastern Philippines on Wednesday, but there were no immediate reports of major damage or injuries, officials said. The 6.1 magnitude quake, which was triggered by a local fault, struck about 14 kilometers (8.7 miles) northeast of New Bataan town in the coastal Province of…


Profiles in History: Harry Hill Bandholtz: An Officer and a Gentleman

Born shortly before the end of the Civil War, Harry Hill Bandholtz (1864–1925) seemed destined to become a military man inclined toward diplomacy over violence. At 17, he joined the Illinois National Guard and earned the rank of lance sergeant. He was nominated to attend the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and graduated in…


Floods in Philippines Leave 51 Dead, Over a Dozen Missing

MANILA, Philippines—Thousands of people in the Philippines remained in emergency shelters in the wake of devastating Christmas flooding, as the death toll climbed to 51 with 19 missing, authorities said Monday. Images showed residents in southern Misamis Occidental Province sweeping away thick mud from the floors of their homes. In the seaside village of Cabol-anonan,…


Philippines Floods, Landslides Kill 44 After Christmas Day Rains

MANILA—The death toll from flooding and landslides caused by Christmas Day rains in the southern Philippines rose to 44, with 28 others still unaccounted for, the national disaster agency said on Friday. Damage to infrastructure and crops has been estimated at 1.36 billion pesos ($24.4 million), it said in a bulletin. Heavy rains submerged villages,…


Rain, Floods in Philippines Leave 32 Dead, Others Missing

MANILA, Philippines—Heavy rains and floods that devastated parts of the Philippines over the Christmas weekend have left at least 32 dead and 24 missing, the national disaster response agency said Thursday. More than 56,000 people were still in emergency shelters after bad weather disrupted Christmas celebrations in the eastern, central, and southern Philippines. Images from…


Philippines Hunts for 26 Still Missing After Weekend Weather Disaster

MANILA—Rescue teams across nine provinces in the Philippines raced on Wednesday to try to locate 26 people missing after weekend rains, floods, and landslides that have killed at least 25 people, in one of its deadliest weather events this year. The national disaster agency on Wednesday said casualties reported so far had increased to 25…


Supreme Court to Review Alleged Hitman’s Conviction Based on Another’s Confession

The Supreme Court agreed on Dec. 13 to review the case of Adam Samia, who was convicted in a murder-for-hire scheme as a result of another person’s legally questionable confession. The decision came by way of an unsigned order. The justices did not explain why they acted and no justices dissented from the ruling. Samia…