Philippines
A fast-growing economy anchored by remittances and outsourcing, with a security relationship with Washington that keeps getting tested in new ways.
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Jun- 2026 -17 JuneTech & AI
Two streaming rivals just agreed to stop competing for your wallet
Viu and iQiyi International will bundle their separate libraries across Indonesia, Thailand, the Philippines, and Malaysia starting in the second half of 2026, testing whether regional pooling can match the…
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12 JuneCompass
Singapore’s dollar is stretching further. Asia’s energy importers are paying for it.
The rupiah crossed 14,000 per Singdollar on June 3, 2026, as Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand, South Korea, and Japan all weakened against a currency riding safe-haven flows and energy-import immunity.
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10 JuneEarth
Philippines earthquake kills 38, displaces 32,000 as rescuers reach remote areas
A magnitude 7.8 quake off Mindanao on June 8 marked the strongest to hit the Philippines since 1976, with casualty figures expected to rise as rescue teams access inland communities…
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10 JunePower
Japan is quietly becoming Asia’s third power pole
Tokyo committed to doubling defense spending to 2% of GDP by 2027, making it the world's third-largest military spender while building a network of security partnerships across Southeast Asia and…
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9 JuneCapital
Asian households are turning to unregulated AI for money advice
Sixty percent of respondents across six markets now use generative AI for financial decisions, up from 18% a year ago, as inflation erodes household buffers and regulatory frameworks lag behind…
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5 JunePower
Japan is arming Southeast Asia with ships tailored to each threat
On June 5, Tokyo and Jakarta agreed to begin talks on transferring used Asagiri-class destroyers—3,500-ton air-defense capable hulls—while offering lighter Abukuma-class ships to Manila, signaling Japan's shift from aid donor…
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3 JunePower
Asia’s defence ministers reject US call for more ships, more summits
At Singapore's Shangri-La Dialogue on May 30, Pete Hegseth pushed allies toward 3.5% defence spending while regional leaders argued the real risk is a shortage of trust, not arms—a split…
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2 JuneSociety
Filipino pop groups are heading to Western festivals. The industry cannot keep up.
BINI played Coachella in April 2026 and SB19 is set for Lollapalooza later that year, but the Philippine music sector's financial infrastructure lags far behind its global fanbase momentum.
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1 JuneEarth
A super El Niño is coming to a warmer planet than ever
The World Meteorological Organization forecasts a 70% chance the 2025–2029 global average exceeds 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels, stacking a potential strong El Niño on top of already-elevated baseline warmth.
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May- 2026 -29 MayPower
Japan permits lethal arms sales to Philippines as defense ties deepen in Tokyo
Philippine President Marcos Jr and Japanese PM Takaichi elevated bilateral ties to comprehensive strategic partnership on May 28, 2026, the 70th anniversary of normalized relations. Commitments include deepened maritime security…
