The Philippines saw another eventful week from September 19 to 25, with corruption investigations, tensions in the West Philippine Sea, a landmark pardon, trade negotiations and the country's performance at the Asian Games dominating the national conversation.
Public anger over alleged corruption in government flood control projects also spilled into the streets as thousands joined demonstrations around the anniversary of the declaration of Martial Law. At the same time, the government continued investigating questionable flood control projects in different parts of the country.
The week also brought a major development in the country's international trade relations, while Carlos Yulo delivered the Philippines' first gold medal at the 2026 Asian Games.
Here are the seven biggest Philippine news stories from the week, followed by three other major national headlines.
01: China Accused of Obstructing Philippine Resupply Mission at Ayungin Shoal
Tensions in the West Philippine Sea intensified on September 25 after the Philippine government accused Chinese vessels of interfering with a Philippine rotation and resupply mission to Ayungin Shoal.
The National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea said China Coast Guard and People's Liberation Army Navy vessels hindered the delivery of essential supplies to Filipino personnel stationed aboard the BRP Sierra Madre.
The task force said the Chinese vessels put Filipino personnel at risk and obstructed what Manila described as a legitimate humanitarian and sustainment operation.
The incident took place during a regular Philippine resupply mission to the BRP Sierra Madre, the grounded Philippine Navy vessel that serves as an outpost at Ayungin Shoal.
The Philippines said the actions were inconsistent with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and the 2016 arbitral ruling that rejected the legal basis of China's expansive claims in the South China Sea. China had not issued a response through its embassy in Manila at the time of reporting.
The latest confrontation adds to a growing series of incidents between Philippine and Chinese vessels in the disputed waters and keeps the West Philippine Sea at the centre of the country's foreign and security policy.
02: Marcos Grants Absolute Pardon to Mary Jane Veloso
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. granted an absolute pardon to Mary Jane Veloso, the Filipino former overseas worker who spent nearly 15 years imprisoned in Indonesia after being sentenced to death for drug trafficking.
Marcos confirmed on September 25 that he had signed the pardon after previously saying that clemency was being considered.
Veloso was arrested in Indonesia in 2010 after authorities found heroin concealed in a suitcase. She maintained that she had been unknowingly recruited as a drug courier.
Her death sentence was postponed in 2015 following diplomatic efforts by the Philippine government. She was eventually transferred back to the Philippines in December 2024 after Manila and Jakarta reached an agreement allowing her to serve the remainder of her sentence in the Philippines.
The pardon now brings a major new development to a case that has attracted widespread attention in the Philippines for more than a decade.
The case has also remained significant because of the broader issues surrounding migrant workers, human trafficking, the death penalty and the vulnerability of Filipinos seeking employment overseas.
03: Flood Control Investigation Expands Across the Philippines
The government's investigation into alleged irregularities in flood control projects continued to expand during the week.
On September 24, the National Bureau of Investigation said that flood control projects worth approximately ₱7 billion in a Davao City congressional district had been awarded to a single contractor between 2018 and 2024.
The NBI had initially been examining projects worth around ₱1.9 billion but said coordination with the Commission on Audit revealed that the actual value of projects awarded to the contractor was significantly higher.
Investigators are examining 51 flood control projects in Davao City. The NBI said one case under review involved a project with the same coordinates apparently receiving funding five times under different project titles.
The investigation comes as authorities examine alleged irregularities in flood control projects across the country, including accusations involving substandard, incomplete or potentially non-existent infrastructure.
In another case, an accused DPWH official connected to a ₱289 million flood control project in Oriental Mindoro was reported to have cited inadequate equipment as one reason the project was not properly inspected.
The investigation has become a major national issue because of the connection between government spending on flood control and the continuing flooding experienced by communities across the Philippines.
04: Philippines and European Union Substantially Conclude Free Trade Agreement Negotiations
The Philippines and the European Union reached a substantial conclusion in negotiations for a free trade agreement, marking an important step toward deeper economic relations between the two sides.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. welcomed the development during a conversation with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
The agreement is expected to create greater opportunities for Philippine exports and European investment while potentially improving market access between the two economies.
The negotiations still require formal conclusion and the completion of the necessary legal and approval processes before the agreement can take effect.
The development is particularly significant as the Philippines seeks to diversify its trade relationships and attract more foreign investment amid uncertainty in the global economy.
The European Union is already an important trading and investment partner for the Philippines, and a future free trade agreement could provide Philippine companies with greater access to the European market.
05: Carlos Yulo Wins Philippines' First Gold Medal at the Asian Games
The Philippines won its first gold medal at the 2026 Asian Games after gymnast Carlos Yulo topped the men's floor exercise final in Japan.
The Olympic gold medalist delivered another major international performance, giving the Philippines its first gold of the Games and contributing to a growing medal haul.
Yulo's victory was particularly significant because it marked his first Asian Games gold medal.
The Philippines also advanced in men's and women's 3x3 basketball during the same day, with both Gilas Pilipinas teams reaching the semifinals.
Yulo was scheduled to compete in the men's parallel bars and vault finals, while his younger brother Karl Eldrew Yulo was also set to compete in artistic gymnastics.
The Asian Games have provided a major source of national attention during a week dominated by political, economic and geopolitical stories.
06: Anti-Corruption Protests Mark Martial Law Anniversary
Thousands of Filipinos took part in demonstrations around the country on September 21 to mark the 54th anniversary of the declaration of Martial Law under former President Ferdinand Marcos Sr.
The protests also became an outlet for public anger over alleged corruption and abuse of power under the current administration, particularly the controversy surrounding government flood control projects.
Demonstrators in Manila and other areas carried messages calling for accountability and drew connections between the country's history of authoritarian rule and contemporary concerns about government transparency.
The Philippine National Police deployed more than 17,000 personnel to secure the demonstrations nationwide. Authorities said the protests were generally peaceful, although several isolated incidents were reported.
The anniversary remains politically significant in the Philippines because September 21, 1972 marked the beginning of Marcos Sr.'s period of Martial Law, which lasted until his removal from power in 1986.
The demonstrations also illustrated how the current flood control investigation has developed into a broader national debate about corruption, accountability and government spending.
07: Tropical Storm Queenie Approaches Northern Philippines
Tropical Storm Queenie entered the Philippine Area of Responsibility during the week and became another weather concern for the country.
As of September 24, Queenie was located over the Philippine Sea east of northern Luzon and was moving west northwestward.
PAGASA said the storm was not expected to directly affect the Philippines during the forecast period, and no tropical cyclone wind signals had been raised.
However, the weather bureau warned that Queenie could gradually intensify while inside the Philippine Area of Responsibility and potentially reach typhoon strength later in its forecast track.
The storm's development came as many parts of the country were still dealing with the effects of prolonged flooding earlier in the month, making weather monitoring particularly important for communities already affected by heavy rainfall.
Other Major Philippine Headlines
Philippines and Canada Push Toward New Trade Agreements
Canada said negotiations for free trade agreements with the Philippines and ASEAN were more than 90 percent complete, with Ottawa hoping to finalise the agreements around the time Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney visits Manila in November.
Canada's trade minister said the agreements could support greater economic diversification and strengthen supply chains between Canada and Southeast Asia.
Energy is expected to be an important area of cooperation, particularly as Asian countries look for alternative sources of fuel amid continuing disruptions affecting international energy markets.
Canada is also supporting the Luzon Economic Corridor and exploring opportunities in areas such as data centres and digital infrastructure in the Philippines.
Senate Impeachment Court Changes Voting Threshold for Sara Duterte Case
The Senate impeachment court reversed an earlier decision requiring 16 votes to convict Vice President Sara Duterte.
The change came after senator-judges debated how the constitutional requirement for a two-thirds vote should be applied in the impeachment proceedings.
The Senate court subsequently moved away from setting a fixed number of votes in advance, leaving the constitutional voting requirement to be applied according to the composition and participation of senator-judges at the appropriate stage of the proceedings.
The issue has become one of the central procedural questions in the impeachment trial, with both the prosecution and defence presenting arguments about the constitutional interpretation.
Asian Games Bring More Medals for the Philippines
The Philippines continued its campaign at the 2026 Asian Games with medals across several sports in addition to Carlos Yulo's gold medal.
The Philippine delegation entered the final week of competition with six medals by September 24, including one gold, one silver and four bronze medals.
Both the men's and women's Gilas Pilipinas 3x3 teams also advanced to the semifinals, keeping the country in contention for additional medals.
Carlos Yulo was scheduled for further finals in artistic gymnastics, while other Filipino athletes continued competing across swimming, athletics, rowing, karate, soft tennis and other events.
Looking Ahead
The week of September 19 to 25 highlighted several issues that are increasingly shaping the Philippines' national agenda.
The flood control investigation continued to expand as authorities examined billions of pesos worth of projects in different parts of the country. The issue also became closely connected with public demonstrations calling for greater accountability from government.
Relations with China remained tense following the reported interference with a Philippine resupply mission at Ayungin Shoal, while the Philippines continued strengthening economic ties with other international partners through trade negotiations with the European Union and Canada.
For many Filipinos, the government's pardon of Mary Jane Veloso was one of the week's most significant developments, bringing a long-running overseas Filipino worker case to a new stage.
The Asian Games provided a welcome source of national attention as Carlos Yulo delivered the country's first gold medal, while Tropical Storm Queenie added another reminder of the Philippines' continuing exposure to severe weather.
The coming weeks are likely to bring further developments in the flood control investigations, the impeachment proceedings, the West Philippine Sea and the country's economic and trade relationships.
