Beijing and Manila have agreed to continue talks on settling their territorial differences despite Philippine protests about the presence of a Chinese "monster ship" near the contested Scarborough Shoal.

US companies are interested in oil and gas projects in the Philippines, Manila’s energy chief said, as tensions with Beijing hamper exploration in disputed areas of the South China Sea.

Good day. Here are the stories of The Manila Times for Sunday, January 19, 2025. Today's episode is brought to you by Wilcon Depot, The Philippines' leading home improvement and construction supplies retailer—your Trusted Building Partner.

MANILA – The China Coast Guard’s (CCG) illegal incursion within the Philippines' exclusive economic zone (EEZ) has reached its 13th day Thursday, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said. In a post over X,

The Philippine navy said on Friday its ships were holding drills near a contested shoal in the South China Sea, a day after Manila and Beijing agreed to seek common ground and find ways to cooperate despite ongoing disputes.

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines accused China on Tuesday of intimidating its fishermen at a disputed South China Sea shoal, and normalizing an “illegal presence,” after Beijing sent its largest coast guard vessel into Manila’s maritime zone.

Chinese Coast Guard ships fire water cannons at Unaizah May 4, a Philippine Navy chartered vessel, conducting a routine resupply mission to troops stationed at Second Thomas Shoal, on March 5, 2024, in the South China Sea. (Photo by Ezra Acayan/Getty Images)

The latest news from the South China Sea was that the Philippine Navy was holding exercises around Panatag (Scarborough) Shoal. This area has become a hotly-contested area between the Philippines and China.

China Coast Guard vessel 5901 or Beijing's "monster ship" is still "operating unlawfully at a distance of 60-70 nautical miles from Philippines territory", the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) reported Saturday,

Divorce remains illegal in Catholic-majority Philippines, the only place outside the Vatican where it is outlawed, contrary to claims that surfaced on Facebook and TikTok in January 2025. The posts misrepresented footage that showed the Southeast Asian archipelago's lower house of Congress approving a divorce bill in May 2024.

A Philippine security official warned “all options are on the table” for Manila’s response to growing South China Sea aggression, including lawsuits.