Philippines-United States: Agreement Reached on Processing U.S. Visas in the Philippines for Afghan Nationals
On August 19, 2024, the Philippines and the United States governments announced they have reached an agreement on allowing a limited number of Afghan nationals to travel to the Philippines and stay there temporarily in order to complete procedures to obtain Special Immigrant Visas (SIVs) and ultimately migrate to the U.S.BackgroundPhilippine authorities said the U.S. … Continue reading “Philippines-United States: Agreement Reached on Processing…
Contributor:
Guerra, Gustavo
Date:2024-11-03
Article
Germany-Philippines: Defense Cooperation Agreement Signed
On May 15, 2025, the governments of Germany and the Philippines announced that they signed the bilateral Philippine-German Arrangement on Defense Cooperation, which is aimed at fostering cooperation between the militaries of the two nations in a number of key areas, including cybersecurity, defense weaponry and logistics. According to the Philippines government, officials with each country’s … Continue reading “Germany-Philippines: Defense Cooperation Agreement Signed”
Contributor:
Guerra, Gustavo
Date:2025-07-30
Article
Philippines/Indonesia: Agreement on Border Issues
(Feb. 28, 2018) Following a meeting of high-ranking officials of the Philippines and Indonesia, it was announced on January 10, 2018, that the two countries had agreed to a number of measures aimed at increasing trade and curbing terrorism. (Lilian Mellejor, PH, Indonesia to Intensify Cross-Border Cooperation, PHILIPPINES NEWS AGENCY (PNA) (Jan. 10, 2018).) The area […]
Philippines: House Bill on Divorce Approved in Committee
(Mar. 4, 2020) On February 4, 2020, a bill proposing the legalization of divorce in the Philippines was approved by the Committee on Population and Family Relations of the Philippine House of Representatives. Currently, the Philippines and the Vatican are the only two sovereign states in the world that still prohibit divorce. Opponents of this […]
Contributor:
Guerra, Gustavo
Date:2020-03-04
Article
Philippines: Central Bank Issues Warning on Virtual Currencies
(Apr. 30, 2014) In March 2014, the Philippines’ Central Bank (Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, hereinafter BSP) issued a statement explaining the risks of using Bitcoin and other virtual currencies. (Press Release, BSP, Warning Advisory on Virtual Currencies (Mar. 6, 2014).) The BSP’s statement indicated that because Bitcoin transactions have been taking place in the Philippines, […]
Contributor:
Guerra, Gustavo
Date:2014-04-30
Article
Philippines: New Government Procurement Act Enters into Force
On July 20, 2024, President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. signed into law the New Government Procurement Act, R.A. No.12009 (NGPA). The new act became effective August 13, 2024, 15 days after its publication.The NGPA replaces the prior government procurement law, the Government Procurement Reform Act, R.A. No. 9184. The new law seeks to foster transparency … Continue reading “Philippines: New Government Procurement Act Enters…
Contributor:
Guerra, Gustavo
Date:2024-10-03
Article
Philippines: Freedom of Information Act Approved by Senate
(Dec. 17, 2009) On December 14, 2009, the Senate of the Philippines approved a Freedom of Information Act designed to allow access to key public documents, including those related to projects where corruption has been an issue. The Act, found in Senate Bill No. 3308, requires government agencies to allow public review and copying of […]
Contributor:
Johnson, Constance
Date:2009-12-17
Article
Philippines: Supreme Court Rules on Same-Sex Marriage
(Jan. 24, 2020) On January 6, 2020, the Philippines’ Supreme Court announced it had dismissed a motion to reconsider its September 2019 ruling denying a petition to approve same-sex marriage in the country, effectively concluding this case “with finality.” The petition had essentially requested that the Court declare unconstitutional on equality grounds certain provisions of […]
Contributor:
Guerra, Gustavo
Date:2020-01-24
Article
Philippines/FAO: Agreement on Advice concerning Food Security Legislation
(Mar. 30, 2018) In January 2018, the Philippine government and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) announced the launch of the FAO Legislative Advisory Group-Philippines (FLAG-PH), which will hold discussions on legislative measures concerning food security, agriculture, and nutrition. (FAO, Legislators Launch Pilot Parliamentary Alliance for Food Security and Nutrition in the Philippines, FAO (Jan. […]
Contributor:
Guerra, Gustavo
Date:2018-03-30
Article
Philippines: Senate Sessions via Teleconference Approved
(May 11, 2020) On May 4, 2020, the Philippine Senate approved a resolution allowing for plenary sessions and committee hearings to be conducted via teleconference. Specifically, the resolution provides that when a majority of the members of the Senate determine that a national emergency or “force majeure” situation has occurred that prevents them from physically […]
Contributor:
Guerra, Gustavo
Date:2020-05-11
Article
Philippines-United States: MOU to Prevent Documentation Fraud Signed
On June 10, 2024, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) announced it has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on document verification with the United States Embassy in Manila aimed at preventing fraud and facilitating migration and international travel procedures.As noted in the announcement, the PSA has the authority to issue civil registry and vital statistics … Continue reading “Philippines-United States: MOU to Prevent Documentation…
Contributor:
Guerra, Gustavo
Date:2024-08-22
Article
Indonesia/Philippines/Malaysia: Agreement on Patrolling Shared Maritime Border
(June 30, 2017) In June 2017, it was announced that authorities from the Philippines, Indonesia, and Malaysia had formally launched an arrangement whereby naval military personnel from these countries will coordinate efforts in order to give chase to Islamic militants who navigate the seas of these nations. (Genalyn Kabiling, PH, Indonesia, Malaysia Open Borders in […]
Contributor:
Guerra, Gustavo
Date:2017-06-30
Article
Philippines: Convention on Mutual Administrative Assistance in Tax Matters Ratified
The Philippines government has announced that on January 7, 2025, it adopted the Convention on Mutual Administrative Assistance in Tax Matters by depositing an instrument of ratification with the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), the depositary of this convention.The convention will enter into force in the Philippines on May 1, 2025. The OECD … Continue reading “Philippines: Convention on Mutual Administrative Assistance…
Contributor:
Guerra, Gustavo
Date:2025-01-30
Article
Philippines: President Issues Executive Order Regulating Electronic Cigarettes, Vaping
(Mar. 27, 2020) On February 26, 2020, the president of the Philippines issued an executive order (EO) regulating the commercialization and use of electronic cigarettes. Background The EO states in its preamble that in 2016, the World Health Organization issued a report explaining that Electronic Nicotine and Non-Nicotine Delivery Systems (ENDS/ENNDS) emit aerosol that commonly includes […]
Contributor:
Guerra, Gustavo
Date:2020-03-27
Article
Japan: Children of Japanese Who Emigrated to Philippines before WWII
(Nov. 2, 2007) All Japanese people have records in the Family Register. Therefore, it is easy to prove that a person is Japanese by submitting an official copy of the Family Register. A few hundred Filipinos whose fathers were Japanese had a hard time to prove that because they could not find their fathers' records […]
Contributor:
Umeda, Sayuri
Date:2007-11-02
Article
Philippines: Executive Order Prohibits Smoking in Enclosed and Public Places
(June 9, 2017) In May 2017, the President of the Philippines signed an executive order (EO) establishing that enclosed spaces and public places must be smoke-free. (EO No. 26 Providing for the Establishment of Smoke-Free Environments in Public and Enclosed Spaces (May 16, 2017), Philippine Official Gazette website.) “Enclosed” spaces for purposes of the directive […]
Contributor:
Guerra, Gustavo
Date:2017-06-09
Article
Philippines: Criminal Charges Filed over Misinformation on Coronavirus
(Mar. 2, 2020) On February 17, 2020, the Philippine National Police (PNP) announced that criminal charges had been filed against an individual who was caught spreading misinformation about coronavirus 2019 (Covid-19) on social media. The individual was arrested after he was identified as the author of a Facebook post stating that an alleged coronavirus patient […]
Contributor:
Guerra, Gustavo
Date:2020-03-02
Article
Philippines: Hospitals Investigated for Denying Treatment During Pandemic
(Apr. 24, 2020) On April 16, 2020, the Philippine government announced that it is investigating allegations that a number of hospitals have denied emergency treatment to patients amid the COVID-19 pandemic. In one case, a senior patient who had difficulty breathing reportedly was refused admission by as many as six hospitals that claimed they did […]
Contributor:
Guerra, Gustavo
Date:2020-04-24
Article
Philippines: National Bureau of Investigation Directed to Pursue Misinformation on Coronavirus
(Feb. 24, 2020) On February 4, 2020, the Philippines minister of justice issued a directive instructing the National Bureau of Investigation to look into cases of deliberate dissemination of misinformation about the coronavirus and bring criminal charges against those believed responsible, if pertinent evidence is available. On the same date, a Philippine media organization reported […]
Contributor:
Guerra, Gustavo
Date:2020-02-24
Article
Philippines: Independent Commission Against Private Armies Works Toward Safe and Credible Elections
(Mar. 30, 2010) The Independent Commission Against Private Armies (ICAPA), created by Administrative Order 275 issued by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, forwarded two resolutions (Resolution No. 001-10 and Resolution No. 002-10) to the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Philippine National Police (PNP) on March 24, 2010. The resolutions direct these organizations to increase […]
Contributor:
Mací - As, Francisco
Date:2010-03-30
Article
Philippines: Amendment to Money Laundering Law to Include Casinos
(Aug. 25, 2017) In July 2017 the Philippine Anti-Money Laundering Act (AMLA) was amended to add casinos to the list of entities that are subject to its provisions, and thus certain gambling transactions must now be reported to government authorities. (Press Release, Duterte Signs Law Expanding AMLA Coverage to Include Casinos (July 19, 2017), Philippine […]
Contributor:
Guerra, Gustavo
Date:2017-08-25
Article
Philippines; United States: Agreement to Launch Trade Transparency Unit
(July 9, 2013) On June 20, 2013, the Philippine Bureau of Customs (BOC) and the Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) directorate of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement signed a letter of intent to set up a trade transparency unit in
Contributor:
Guerra, Gustavo
Date:2013-07-09
Article
Philippines: Law on Rectification of Simulated Birth Records Enacted
(Apr. 26, 2019) On March 14, 2019, the Philippine government announced in the Official Gazette the enactment of the Simulated Birth Rectification Act (Republic Act No. 11222), which grants amnesty to individuals who falsified civil registry records to make it appear in a child’s birth record that the child was born to a woman who […]
Contributor:
Guerra, Gustavo
Date:2019-04-26
Article
Permanent Court of Arbitration/China/Philippines: Plan to Consider South China Sea Dispute
(Nov. 4, 2015) On October 29, 2015, the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA), located in The Hague, issued an Award on Jurisdiction and Admissibility to hear the dispute brought before it by the Philippines against China concerning rights over contested areas in the South China Sea. The central issue in the case, according to the […]
