Page 2 - Philippines

Powerful typhoon headed for Philippines strengthens; prompts evacuations

A powerful typhoon shifted and strengthened in an explosive intensification on Sunday, prompting evacuations from high-risk villages as it approached the northeastern Philippines where it might sideswipe the capital, officials said. Typhoon Noru was swirling at sea about 175 kilometres (110 miles) east of Infanta town in Quezon province with sustained winds of 195 kilometres (121 miles per hour) and gusts of up to 240 kph (149 mph) at midday. Forecasters expect it to smash into the coast later on Sunday. While blowing toward the archipelago, Noru shifted southward as it was pushed down by a high-pressure area to its north. It gained considerable strength from a storm that had sustained winds of 85 kph (53 mph) on Saturday to a super typhoon just 24 hours after in an explosive intensification at sea, Vicente Malano, who heads the country's weather agency, told The Associated Press. Thousands of villagers were evacuated, some forcibly, from the typhoon's path, as well as from ...

Philippine president to focus on food, energy, climate change at UNGA

Philippine President Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos left for New York to participate in the 77th session of the UN General Assembly, with his priority focus on food security, energy and climate change

GMR Group to divest entire 40% stake in Philippines' Cebu airport

GMR Group on Friday said it will divest its entire 40 per cent stake in Cebu international airport in Philippines for an upfront payment of Rs 1,330 crore as well as earnouts to be received over a period of more than four years. The airport is being operated by GMR-Megawide Cebu Airport Corporation (GMCAC) and GMR Airports International BV (GAIBV) holds a 40 per cent stake in the venture. A definitive agreement has been signed between GMR Airports International BV (GAIBV) and Aboitiz InfraCapital Inc (AIC) for the divestment of stake in Cebu airport. AIC is the infrastructure arm of the Philippines-based Aboitiz Group. According to a regulatory filing, the stake is being divested as part of the focus on deleveraging GMR Airports Ltd and churning assets for higher returns on investment. "The transaction will be undertaken at an enterprise value of PhP 49.7 billion (INR 70.5 billion) and GAIBV will receive an upfront amount of PhP 9.4 billion (INR 13.3 billion) in lieu of the shares

Delivery of BrahMos missile to Philippines expected in 2023: Reports

The joint Indian-Russian enterprise was named after the rivers of Brahmaputra and Moscow

Philippines: More than 80 people rescued from ferry fire in Manila

Philippine coast guard personnel and volunteers have rescued more than 80 passengers and crew of an inter-island ferry that caught fire as it approached a port south of Manila, prompting many to jump into the water as flames spread fast in windy weather, officials said Saturday. Only two passengers are unaccounted for and authorities are checking if the two are missing or had been rescued but immediately went home without notifying officials who led the search efforts Friday, the coast guard said. The M/V Asia Philippines was listed as carrying 49 passengers and 38 crewmembers. The ferry, which came from Calapan city in Oriental Mindoro province, was more than a kilometer away from the Batangas port, when smoke emerged from the second deck followed by flames, according to one of the rescued passengers. The ferry's proximity to the port allowed the rapid rescue of the victims even after nightfall by coast guard vessels and nearby ships, motor bancas and tugboats. One ship helped the

3 killed, 4 injured in Philippines as tropical cyclone Ma-on intensifies

The Philippine government said tropical cyclone Ma-on that battered the main Luzon island this week killed at least three people and injured four others

Antony Blinken affirms 'extraordinary' ties between US, Philippines

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken told the new Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr that ties between the two countries were "extraordinary" during a visit to Manila

PM Modi, Philippines prez Ferdinand Marcos review bilateral ties progress

Prime Minister Modi reiterated the important role that the Philippines plays in India's Act East Policy and its Indo-Pacific Vision, and expressed the desire to further expand bilateral relations.

7.3 earthquake hits north Philippines, causes damage, people flee buildings

A strong earthquake shook the northern Philippines, causing some damage and prompting people to flee buildings in the capital. Officials said no casualties were immediately reported

Dictator's son Ferdinand Marcos Jr taking oath as Philippine president

Activists and survivors of the martial law-era under his father plan protests timed to Marcos Jr.'s inauguration at the steps of the National Museum in Manila

Magnitude 6.1 earthquake jolts Philippines, no casualties reported so far

Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology said, the quake, which occurred at 5:50 a.m., hit at a depth of 132 km, about 21-km northwest of Calatagan town

Marcos, son of strongman, poised for Philippines election triumph

The count makes almost certain a previously unthinkable return to power of the Marcos family, 36 years after its humiliating retreat into exile

5.9-magnitude earthquake jolts Philippines; aftershocks expected

The quake, which occurred at 9.23 a.m. local time, hit at a depth of 49 kms, about 54 kms southeast of Manay town in the province

Scientists flag rice shortage concerns as world frets about food

Current yield trends will not allow the two countries to be self-sufficient in rice, according to a study published in Nature Food journal in March

Philippine volcanic institute raises alert level for Taal volcano

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology raised the alert level for Taal volcano, near Manila, on Saturday due to "increasing unrest."

Philippines approves revival of nuclear power to help replace coal

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has signed an executive order to include nuclear power in the country's energy mix

Philippines signs $624 million deal to purchase 32 Black Hawk helicopters

Due to financial constraints, the Philippines has struggled for years to modernise its military, one of the most underfunded in Asia

Philippines offers at least $500 mn green bonds to European investors

The Southeast Asian country aims for a 75% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 under its commitment to the Paris Agreement on Climate Change

India to Indonesia: Emerging Asia central banks run out of room to wait

The Reserve Bank of India's move last week to keep the reverse repo rate unchanged surprised markets, which had expected the bank to raise rates to begin policy normalization

EAM Jaishankar to begin his three-day Philippines visit on Sunday

The visit comes at a time when India signed a deal worth $375 million to supply 290 km strike range BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles to the Philippines