Philippines

"I think the biggest lesson which we have always emphasized is that it's not enough that you overthrow a dictator."

In a soft-ball interview with his goddaughter, the new Philippine leader has defended his family's controversial legacy.

The leader promised to emphasize education and rehabilitation, but repeated that he would not cooperate with an ICC probe into extrajudicial killings.

Manila has repeated its claim that The Hague-based court has no jurisdiction over anti-drug killings committed under President Rodrigo Duterte.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has proclaimed September 12 a one-off holiday in his family’s home province of Ilocos Norte.

In a more constrained and turbulent region, Manila has little choice but to lean into its status as a rising middle power.

As archipelagic nations facing a similar array of threats, there are ample reasons for the two nations to establish closer security ties.

Standing alongside President Joko Widodo, the Philippine leader described Indonesia as "not only a neighbor, not only a friend, but kin."

The Philippine Statistics Authority says that nearly 1 in 5 Filipinos are living below the poverty line – but the real number could be a lot higher.

Like his predecessor, Rodrigo Duterte, the newly elected leader has chosen ASEAN nations as the destination of his first state visits.

The administration claims that the $94 billion budget will help propel the country out of its COVID-19-induced slump.

The trajectory of the alliance will be contingent upon the management of structural challenges, and how Manila keeps pace with changing regional and global realities.