Michaela Del Callar

BNC | Netherlands pushes maritime security cooperation with PH during De Ruyter visit ** Follow BNC: @BilyonaryoNews on Twitter bnc.bilyonaryo.com/?p=84700

WATCH: Visiting Dutch Navy ship HNLMS De Ruyter was approached by a Chinese helicopter in the South China Sea while en route to Manila for a port call from May 22 to 24, Commander Rodger de Wit, the vessel’s commanding officer, said on Friday. “We were approached by a helicopter, one that was really professional on both sides, and they just came to see who we were, and they left again,” De Wit told journalists on board the De Ruyter. “We're here to promote freedom of navigation,” he added. The vessel’s port call is part of a planned five-month mission from the Royal Netherlands Navy, to signify the Netherlands’ continued commitment to maritime security, freedom of navigation and deepening ties with partners in the Indo-Pacific region, including the Philippines. | via Michaela Del Callar, bnc.ph

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) on Thursday asked the human rights offices of the United Nations to dismiss claims by an international nongovernment organization (NGO), which accused President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s administration of utilizing the International Criminal Court (ICC) against former President Rodrigo Duterte to weaken his family’s chances in the 2028 elections. bnc.bilyonaryo.com/dfa-asks-un-ri…

The Chinese Embassy in Manila called on Philippine officials Wednesday to immediately release 69 Chinese nationals, who were arrested in a raided steel plant in Misamis Oriental province and treat them humanely while in detention. bnc.bilyonaryo.com/china-seeks-re…

BNC | US Congress confirms Florida businessman as next envoy to PH ** Follow BNC: @BilyonaryoNews on Twitter bnc.bilyonaryo.com/?p=84213

Florida businessman gets US Congress nod as Trump’s envoy to PH The US Congress has confirmed the appointment of Florida businessman Lee Lipton as Washington’s new ambassador to the Philippines. Lipton, a close friend of US President Donald Trump, is the first non-career American diplomat to be appointed to Manila in recent history. Philippine Ambassador to US Jose Manuel Romualdez met Lipton at the Philippine Embassy in Washington on Tuesday (Wednesday in Manila) ahead of the envoy’s departure to start his tour of duty in the Philippines. During the meeting, the two officials discussed the longstanding and enduring alliance between the Philippines and the US, including opportunities to bolster bilateral economic engagements, security cooperation, people-to-people ties, and regional collaboration. This year, the longtime treaty allies are commemorating 80 years of diplomatic relations and the 75th anniversary of the Philippines-United States Mutual Defense Treaty. | via Michaela Del Callar

New US Ambassador to the Philippines Lee Lipton confirmed by US Congress. "I was very pleased to officially to meet Amb Lipton. He’s looking forward to meeting Pres. Marcos and as many Filipinos as possible," PHL Amb Jose Manuel Romualdez tells BNC. @bncdotph @PHLAmbUSA

The Netherlands, widely regarded as cradle of international law in Europe, has reaffirmed the legality of the landmark 2016 arbitral ruling that invalidated China’s sweeping claims in the South China Sea and expressed concern over growing security tensions in the disputed waterway. bnc.bilyonaryo.com/netherlands-re…

BNC | Germany eyes VFA talks with Philippines — envoy ** Follow BNC: @BilyonaryoNews on Twitter bnc.bilyonaryo.com/?p=83330

BNC | UK, Australia, France, 4 others join Luzon Economic Corridor ** Follow BNC: @BilyonaryoNews on Twitter bnc.bilyonaryo.com/?p=82794

Southeast Asian leaders will “endeavour to conclude” talks for an “effective and substantive” Code of Conduct in the South China Sea, while seeking to craft effective regional responses to maritime security challenges. bnc.bilyonaryo.com/asean-leaders-…

Leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) on Friday unveiled a regional crisis response plan aimed at addressing worsening energy shortages and supply disruptions triggered by the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. bnc.bilyonaryo.com/asean-leaders-…

EXCLUSIVE ASEAN leaders will ‘endeavor’ to conclude COC talks as they seek ‘concrete and effective’ regional response to maritime security challenges- draft statement CEBU- Southeast Asian leaders will “endeavor to conclude” talks for an “effective and substantive” Code of Conduct in the South China Sea, while seeking to craft effective regional responses to maritime security challenges, according to a draft communique seen by Bilyonaryo News Channel. They did not specify a deadline for the conclusion of the negotiation in the draft joint declaration, but ASEAN has earlier stated it wanted talks to be concluded this year. They, however, reaffirmed the importance of the “full and effective implementation” of an existing non-binding declaration in the disputed South China Sea “in its entirety, particularly on maritime cooperation, to promote mutual trust and confidence.” | via Michaela Del Callar

BNC | ASEAN leaders to tackle fallout from Middle East conflict ** Follow BNC: @BilyonaryoNews on Twitter bnc.bilyonaryo.com/?p=82191

BREAKING NEWS: ASEAN leaders to show unity, outline priority actions amid Middle East tension in draft communique CEBU - A draft ASEAN leaders’ communique seen by Bilyonaryo News Channel will outline the regional bloc’s priority actions in response to the implications of the Middle East crisis, such as calling for the “expeditious” ratification of an ASEAN Framework Agreement on Petroleum Security (APSA). The leaders would also emphasize “the importance of upholding international law” and “respect for sovereignty,” in an indirect criticism of the war involving the United States, Israel and Iran, which triggered the crisis. APSA, a regional energy-sharing mechanism, would allow member states, “on a voluntary and commercial basis,” to support each other’s oil and gas needs during supply disruptions. “In view of the evolving regional and global landscape and emerging multi-polar world architecture, we reaffirmed our unity and collective commitment to ensuring that ASEAN remains resilient, responsive, and forward-looking in navigating external shocks and safeguarding the well-being of its peoples,” the draft said. It also includes medium- and long-term measures, such as diversification of energy sources, reducing dependence on oil-fired power, promoting renewable energy, and quicker implementation of the ASEAN Power Grid to promote greater electricity network connectivity. The language of the draft statement may still change. The wordings and paragraphs are still subject to fine-tuning before the final statement is released by the ASEAN leaders on Friday. | via Michaela Del Callar

CEBU— Leaders of the ASEAN leaders were expected to show unity and outline a coordinated response to the economic and energy fallout from the Middle East conflict, according to a draft ASEAN communique seen by Bilyonaryo News Channel. bnc.bilyonaryo.com/draft-communiq…

CEBU- Foreign Secretary Theresa Lazaro on Thursday urged the ASEAN to “act with urgency” and establish stronger coordination mechanisms to respond more effectively to emerging global crises, particularly the escalating conflict in the Middle East. bnc.bilyonaryo.com/lazaro-to-asea…

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and other Southeast Asian leaders were set to gather in Cebu province on Friday for the annual Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit amid the backdrop of soaring fuel prices, supply chain disruptions and mounting global economic uncertainty triggered by the conflict in the Middle East. Full story on bnc.ph READ: bnc.bilyonaryo.com/asean-2026-wha…

Negotiations for a code of conduct in the disputed South China Sea are making encouraging progress, a Philippine diplomat said on Wednesday, despite Southeast Asian nations’ preoccupation with the alarming fallout from the Middle East war. bnc.bilyonaryo.com/coc-talks-betw…

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and other Southeast Asian leaders were set to gather in Cebu province on Friday for the annual Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit amid the backdrop of soaring fuel prices, supply chain disruptions and mounting global economic uncertainty triggered by the conflict in the Middle East. bnc.bilyonaryo.com/asean-2026-wha…