A man sits on the rubble of a collapsed building during rescue operations in Hatay, Turkey, on Sunday after last week’s earthquakes. (Bulent Kilic/AFP/Getty Images) ISLAHIYE, Turkey — It had been nearly a week since a pair of powerful earthquakes shattered this town in southern Turkey, and families with missing loved ones were out again…

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine embassy in Ankara confirmed yesterday the death of two Filipinos following the devastating 7.8 magnitude earthquake that hit Turkey and Syria. For the time being, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) is withholding the names of the Filipino victims as their families are being properly informed of their demise. “The…

KAHRAMANMARAS, Turkey — Rescuers pulled out children Friday from the rubble of the Turkey-Syria earthquake as the toll approached 24,000 and a winter freeze compounded the suffering for nearly one million people estimated to be in urgent need of food. The stench of death hung over Turkey’s eastern city of Kahramanmaras — the epicentre of…

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines has secured over P156 billion in loan financing from the Japanese government for funding transportation improvements in the country. In behalf of the Philippine government, Finance Secretary Benjamin Diokno signed two projects worth 377 billion yen or around P156.22 billion with Japan. This was done on the sidelines of the…

MANILA, Philippines — A prospective Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) between the Philippines and Japan is “a work in progress,” Speaker Martin Romualdez said yesterday. In his assessment, Romualdez noted that President Marcos’ ongoing working visit in Japan could lead to the creation of a VFA, an agreement that the Philippines has with the United States…

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines’ 82-person search and rescue contingent sent to Turkey is already busy with “Hasty Search” operations in Adiyaman, one of the areas devastated by last Monday’s strong earthquake, in the hope of finding victims under the rubble. Following protocols of the hasty search – a fast paced methodological process of searching…

The Philippine Embassy in Ankara said Sunday it tapped search and rescue teams to look for a Filipino woman and her children, who have remained missing since the deadly 7.8-magnitude earthquake struck Turkey and Syria. In a statement, the Embassy said the information about the missing Filipino and her kids was brought up to them…

MANILA, Philippines — Nearly a week after the 7.8-magnitude earthquake hit Türkiye, the Philippine Embassy in Ankara said search and rescue operations for Filipino nationals continue as the death toll in both Türkiye and Syria hit over 28,000. “The embassy has sought the assistance of search-and-rescue teams in Hatay City on the status of a…

MANILA – The Philippines will review a proposed trilateral defense and security deal with two of its closest allies – the United States and Japan. President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., in an interview with Kyodo News on Friday, said fostering alliances with its long-time partners was one of “many other issues” raised by the Philippine…

KAHRAMANMARAS, Turkey — Tuba Yolcu is desperate for news of her missing aunt and scours a sports hall where victims of a powerful earthquake that hit her hometown in Turkey lie in body bags. “We hear (the authorities) will no longer keep the bodies waiting after a certain period of time, they say they will…