Ron Lopez - TEXT

SOUTH CHINA SEA

Chinese maritime aggression seen as test of US-Philippine allianceAnalysts say Washington should put pressure on Beijing to avoid future violent clashes

Japan, Philippines Boost Alliance to Counter China, Analysts SayThe two countries will start negotiations on a defense pact that would allow troops to be deployed to each other’s territory

Suspicious of China, Philippines Expands US Military Presence Move could have major impact on Asia’s security

COVID-19

Cremation Traumatizes in Philippines as 'Second Tragedy'Families of coronavirus victims in the Philippines are being denied traditional death rites in favor of hurried, impersonal cremations, with virus restrictions often meaning they are forbidden a last look at their loved ones.

Lockdown tests faith in PhilippinesAfter months of livestreaming mass to millions of faithful from behind closed doors, churches in the Catholic-majority Philippines are beginning to reopen. But strict coronavirus rules mean worship…

Hungry and homeless: Philippine 'jeepney' drivers hit by virusForced off the road by coronavirus lockdowns, Philippine "jeepney" driver Daniel Flores now plies the streets of Manila on foot begging for money to feed his hungry family.

CULTURE AND TRADITIONS

'Circumcision season': Philippine rite puts boys under pressureThe removal of foreskins is a centuries-old rite of passage to adulthood in the country, which has one of the highest rates of male circumcision in the world.

Religious whipping marks Good Friday in the PhilippinesCatholic zealots in the Philippines whipped their backs bloody and raw on Good Friday, as the fervently religious country marked Easter with gruesome displays of faith.

Philippine gangs ink over tattoos to combat jail violencePhilippine inmates are using improvised tattooing machines to cover up symbols identifying their gang affiliation in an effort to reduce violence.

DISASTERS AND JUSTICE

'A little aid would help': 'Odette' survivors beg for foodHundreds of thousands of people are homeless after Odette cut a swathe through the vast archipelago last Thursday, knocking out power across entire islands and leaving desperate survivors pleading for help.

'Odette' survivors wish for roofs and food at ChristmasFather Ricardo Virtudazo stands in a pool of water in his typhoon-hit church in the southern Philippines delivering Christmas Day mass to dozens of devotees whose wishes this year were for new roofs, food and fine weather.

Six people killed in Philippine typhoonThe strongest typhoon to hit the Philippines this year left at least six people dead, authorities said Monday, after heavy rain and fierce winds battered the country's most populous island.

PEACE & CONFLICT

Chinese security vessel orders Philippine plane carrying media to 'leave'As a Philippine Coast Guard plane carrying journalists flew over the Spratly Islands in the hotly disputed South China Sea, a Chinese voice issued a stern command over the radio: "Leave immediately."

No end in sight as Philippines communist revolt marks 50th year - France 24No end in sight as Philippines communist revolt marks 50th year

Shattered Marawi a tool for jihadist recruitmentTwo years after the Philippine city of Marawi was overrun by jihadists it remains in ruins, with experts warning that stalled reconstruction efforts are bolstering the appeal of extremist groups in the volatile region.

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