Vietnamplus

The US and the Philippines on February 2 announced their agreement to give US forces access to four additional bases in the Southeast Asian country.

The Philippines is set to launch a value-added tax (VAT) refund programme for foreign tourists in 2024 to attract more visitors, according to the country’s Presidential Communications Office (PCO).

The Philippines recorded economic growth beyond expectations in 2022, fueled by strong consumer spending despite rising consumer prices.

A Philippine Air Force (PAF) aircraft crashed in Bataan province, west of Manila, on January 25 during a training flight, killing two pilots.

The President office of the Philippines recently announced that the country will reduce tariff rates on imported electric vehicles (EV), parts and components, to boost the EV market in the country.

The Philippines will upgrade at least eight airports across the country in 2023 to boost mobility and connectivity, said Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman on January 19.

A member of the Philippine House of Representatives Marvin Rillo on January 15 said that the country will invest 17.7 billion pesos (322 million USD) in building and upgrading roads to tourism sites, which make the sites more accessible to visitors.

Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has ordered the country’s government agencies to step up the fight against “rampant smuggling” in the country, the presidential communications office (PCO) announced on January 15.

Vietnam- Philippines economic relations have thrived even at the height of the pandemic, as evidenced by the steady growth of their total bilateral trade, which reached 5.8 billion USD in 2021, and 3.12 billion USD as of June last year.

As a coastal country and a member of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) 1982, Vietnam believes that all activities of international cooperation, including maritime cooperation, need to be in line with international law, especially the UNCLOS, stated Foreign Ministry's Deputy Spokesperson Pham Thu Hang.

Head of Indonesia’s National Food Agency (Bapanas) Arief Prasetyo Adi said on January 10 that the country plans to export corn to Vietnam, the Philippines, and Malaysia in 2023.

The Presidential Office of the Philippines on January 9 announced that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr has chosen a former military chief who led the country’s fight against the coronavirus as his new defense minister.

The death toll from floods in the Philippines last week has risen to 51, the Philippine government said on December 3, adding that over 33,000 people still remained in temporary shelters.

The Binh Duong Television International Cycling Tournament 2023 will take place from January 5-11, the organiser announced on December 29.

One person died, and three others were missing in a landslide in the southern Philippines, police said on December 29, taking the nationwide death toll from recent rains to at least 33.

At least 25 people have been killed by recent floods that inundated the southern and eastern regions of the Philippines, according to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Managing Council (NDRRMC).

Philippine authorities on December 26 announced the evacuation of nearly 46,000 people due to severe floods.

The Philippines’ century-old giant lantern festival has returned after a two-year hiatus from in-person celebrations due to COVID-19, with spectators flocking to San Fernando city in Pampanga province to enjoy the festivity from December 17 to January 1, 2023.

Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has approved the recommendation of the economic ministry to extend tariff reductions on rice and other food items until the end of next year to curb inflation.

The Philippine House of Representatives on December 15 approved a bill on the establishment of the "Maharlika Investment Fund" with capital of 2 billion USD, much lower than the original proposal.