ASEAN IN FOCUS

7th High-Level Cross Regional Roundtable on Violence against Children opens

Department of Social Welfare And Development (DSWD) Secretary Judy Taguiwalo opened the 7th High-Level Cross Regional Roundtable on Violence against Children at the Manila Hotel earlier today, June 6. The meeting was focused on the theme, “Placing Children at the Heart of the Sustainable Development Agenda: Accelerating Progress in Children’s Protection from Violence.” It aims to eradicate all forms of abuse and violence against children such as bullying, sexual assault and online violence, among others. […]

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Czechia and the Philippines ink new defense agreement

From Defense to Science, from Education to Trade, a wave of new agreements pave the way for Philippine-Czech cooperation. From the first Czech Jesuit missionaries in Manila and the Visayas in 1680s to Czech defenders of Bataan during WW2, the Czech relations with the Philippines bore deep roots. Besides Filipino pilgrims visiting Prague’s Santo Nino to the tourists eager to walk the city’s historical center, scientists and businessmen are nowadays the most frequent Filipino visitors […]

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US gives Philippines hundreds of new anti-terror weapons

The United States on Monday gave the Philippines hundreds of machine guns, pistols and grenade launchers, which a local commander said would be used against Islamist militants battling troops in a southern city. The weapons, including machine guns capable of firing thousands of rounds a minute, were handed over at a ceremony in Manila that highlighted a decade-old American counter-terrorism assistance program to the Philippines worth about $150 million. “This equipment will enhance the (Philippine […]

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Malaysia, Philippines and Indonesia to launch joint patrols off Mindanao to fight militants

SINGAPORE, Singapore (AFP) — Malaysia, the Philippines and Indonesia will launch joint patrols in waters off the Mindanao region this month to counter threats from Islamic State group militants, Malaysia’s defense minister said Saturday. Hishammuddin Hussein made the comments at a security conference in Singapore as Philippine troops continued to battle self-styled Islamic State group gunmen who attacked the city of Marawi on Mindanao island nearly two weeks ago. Hishammuddin said joint sea patrols in […]

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Women accused of Kim Jong-Nam murder appear in court

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AFP) — An Indonesian and a Vietnamese woman accused of assassinating the half-brother of North Korea’s leader with a deadly nerve agent, appeared in a Malaysian court Tuesday, wearing bullet-proof vests and under heavy security. Both women, in their twenties, could face the death penalty, though they have denied murdering Kim Jong-Nam, saying they were duped into believing they were taking part in a reality TV show. Seoul accuses North Korea of […]

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Senior officials of ASEAN regional forum discuss ways to combat terrorism and violent extremism

  Senior Officials of the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) met on 24 May 2017 in Manila to discuss ways of bolstering cooperation to combat non-traditional security threats including cybercrime, terrorism and violent extremism, trafficking in persons and illicit drugs, the proliferation or use of chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear weapons, and natural disasters. Assistant Secretary Hellen Barber-De La Vega, the Philippine Acting Senior Officials’ Meeting (SOM) Leader for the ARF, chaired the meeting, which also […]

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Indonesians worry over bomb blasts which killed at least 5 people

JAKARTA, Indonesia (Reuters) — Indonesians on Thursday (May 25) expressed fears and concerns over the suspected suicide blasts that killed three police officers and wounded several others the night before. Crowds of people packed the blast site at the Jakarta’s Kampung Melayu terminal to see the damage. National Police spokesperson Setyo Wasisto said three officers had been killed, and that examination of the scene had shown that there appeared to have been two suicide bombers, […]

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China, ASEAN to work out 2030 Agenda for Cooperation 

China and the Association of Southeast Asian nations or ASEAN will work out a 2030 agenda to enhance the China-ASEAN cooperation. China’s Vice Foreign Minister Liu Zhenmin announced this at the 23rd ASEAN-China Senior Officials’ Consultation in Guiyang, China on Friday. The consultation was co-hosted by Liu Zhenmin and Chee Wee Kiong, Permanent Secretary for Foreign Affairs of Singapore and Coordinator of China-ASEAN relations. The event reached consensus on deepening China-ASEAN strategic partnership and promoting […]

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20 injured by bomb at Bangkok military hospital: police

BANGKOK, Thailand (AFP) — A small bomb struck a Bangkok military hospital on Monday wounding more than 20 people, police said, three years to the day since the army seized power of the politically unstable kingdom. “From the initial report it was a bomb… there are more than 20 people injured,” Deputy National Police Chief General Srivara Rangsibrahmanakul told reporters. “It was likely to be in a package,” Srivara said, adding that “battery and wires” were […]

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Indonesian slum turns into tourist spot after colorful makeover

SEMARANG, Indonesia (Reuters) — Once considered a slum, Kampung Pelangi (pronounce as “Com-has become a tourist attraction for local and international visitors following a colorful makeover. The village now known as the ‘Rainbow Village’ in English, has undergone a month long facelift worth 300 million Indonesian Rupiah ($22,500) provided by the local government. Private high school teacher, 54-year-old Slamet Widodo says he came up with the colourful makeover idea after seeing similar projects in other […]

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China, ASEAN agree on draft framework for S. China Sea code of conduct

Beijing, China (AFP) — China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) took a step toward easing tensions in the South China Sea, state media reported Thursday, agreeing to a framework for a “code of conduct” to prevent incidents in the disputed waters. The competing claims to the sea, which is believed to sit atop vast oil and gas deposits, have for decades made it one of Asia’s potential military flashpoints. The issue has come to […]

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“Future of the PHL lies in ASEAN and Asia,” says Duterte upon return from Cambodia, HK, China official visits

(Eagle News) – President Rodrigo Duterte is now back in the country after his official visits to Cambodia, Hong Kong and China, saying that he is now more convinced that the future of the country lies in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and Asian cooperation. “I am glad to be back,” he said upon arriving around 3 a.m. on Tuesday from his trip in Beijing, China where he met with Chinese president Xi Jinping […]

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