The Philippines Department of Health noted that proactive border screening measures continue to be enforced to protect the public from the entry of infectious diseases, including online health declarations before travel, on-arrival thermal scanning, and trained observation of travelers at ports of entry.
DICT Secretary Henry Aguda said the policy, now under review by the department’s policy and legal teams, could be implemented through a department order as early as next week.
Nokaen is packing maximum sustained winds of 65 kilometres per hour near the centre, with gusts of up to 80 kilometres per hour. The storm is moving slowly northward over the Philippine Sea, east of the Eastern Visayas in central Philippines.
AFP Deputy Chief of Staff Rommel Roldan said the military will provide full support to the PNP, which will take the lead in maintaining peace and order during the country’s hosting of ASEAN-related activities. Troops have been ordered to extend necessary assistance to the PNP in ensuring the safety and security of the events.
The Acquisition and Cross Servicing Agreement (ACSA) allows the Armed Forces of the Philippines and Japan's Self-Defence Forces to provide each other with fuel, food, ammunition, and other supplies during joint activities.
About 50 sanitation workers were buried on January 8 when the mountain of garbage toppled onto them from an estimated height of 20 storeys at the Philippines' Binaliw Landfill, a privately operated facility that handles refuse for the city of nearly one million.
The Philippines imported almost 3.37 million metric tonnes of rice last year, about 30% lower than the 4.81 million metric tonnes recorded in 2024.
Police confirmed that one female worker was killed, seven people were injured, and 27 others remain missing. Meanwhile, Cebu’s Mayor Nestor Archival said that 12 people had been rescued, while the number of those still unaccounted for could be as high as 38.
The Philippines will host a total of 208 cluster meetings, or over 650 meetings this year, 104 of which are working group level while 24 are ministerial. Security will be tightened at all ASEAN meetings, especially the leaders’ summits in May and November.
Tourism Secretary Christina Frasco said looking ahead, the Philippines prepares to host the United Nations Tourism Global Forum on Gastronomy and the ASEAN Tourism Forum (ATF) 2026 in Cebu, affirming the country’s leadership and resilience in shaping the future of tourism in the region.
The bus, which was carrying 27 people, including the driver and the alternate driver, was traveling southbound from Metro Manila, and the accident occurred in the municipality of Del Gallego.
The Philippine Government has decided to extend its ban on sugar imports until the end of December 2026, as domestic supply has improved. The move aims to continue protecting farmers and domestic producers, as well as stabilising the market.
Criminal networks are believed to be using routes from Palawan to Sabah, then through Malaysia, with final destinations in Myawaddy (Myanmar) or Phnom Penh (Cambodia).
Only frozen pork products produced on or before November 11 and loaded, in transit, or accepted at port by December 4, will be allowed entry into the Philippines. Shipments produced after November 11 will be returned to Spain.
Data from the PNP Directorate for Personnel and Records Management released on December 3 showed that from July 2016 to November 26, 2025, a total of 32,698 police personnel were found guilty of various administrative offenses.
Preliminary reports from ReliefWeb estimate combined infrastructure damage in the Philippines from Kalmaegi and Fung-Wong at 292,000 USD, with agricultural losses of 184,000 USD, affecting over 600 farmers and fishermen and 460 hectares of farmland.
The Southeast Asian country is predicted to face Super Typhoon Fung-wong, locally known as Uwan, in the coming days.
The Philippines, which experiences an average of 20 storms annually, frequently suffers heavy losses, especially in poverty-stricken areas. Scientists warn that climate change is making storms increasingly intense and destructive.
At least five people have been killed and hundreds of thousands displaced as rains driven by Typhoon Kalmaegi flooded swathes of central Philippines on November 4.
Typhoon Kalmaegi is moving toward Leyte Island with sustained winds of around 120km/h and gusts reaching up to 150km/h, said the Philippine forecasting agency.
As many as 37,825 families, or 133,196 individuals, were affected by Storm Fengshen across nine provinces and 35 cities and municipalities of the Philippines.
Tropical storm Fengshen lashed the northern and central Philippines on October 19, leaving at least seven people dead and forcing 47,000 to evacuate.
Typhoon Fengshen made landfall in the southeastern part of Luzon late on October 18 and early on October 19 before moving across Manila Bay, with wind gusts reaching up to 90 kilometres per hour. The Philippine meteorological agency said the storm is now heading towards provinces north of the capital.
The tremor struck near Dapa municipality in Surigao del Norte province at a depth of around 69km, USGS reported.
The Malaysian Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia) has forecasted that the upcoming monsoon season, which is expected to last until the end of March 2026, will be influenced by a weak La Niña phenomenon.