Philippines Roundup: First trilateral summit, wildlife award, free trade

First trilateral summit

The White House will host the first trilateral summit between the Philippines, Japan, and the United States on April 11, aiming to strengthen ties based on historical friendship, economic relations, democratic values, and a shared vision for a free and open Indo-Pacific. The leaders will also reaffirm the ironclad alliances between the United States and the Philippines, and the United States and Japan, local media Money Control reports.

Gaming market

The Philippines is expected to become the second largest gaming market in the ASEAN region, after Macau, with PAGCOR Chairman, Alejandro H Tengco, predicting gaming revenue to reach a new high of $6.1 billion this year. News outlet AGB reports that the privatisation and regulatory reforms are expected to attract more integrated resorts and boost the electronic gaming sector.

Wildlife award

The Wildlife Sentinel Award (WiSe) Philippines has been launched to recognise outstanding achievements in combating wildlife crime in the country. Nominations are open until May 31, 2024, and open to individuals, units, and groups in investigation and law enforcement agencies and prosecution services. The award aims to honour those who contributed excellently to protecting the Philippines' biodiversity, reports local media Traffic.

Earthquake

A powerful earthquake with a magnitude of at least 7.5 struck Mindanao in the southern Philippines, triggering tsunami warnings that were later lifted. The earthquake resulted in at least one death and caused evacuation orders in both the Philippines and Japan, reports media agency Aljazeera.

Free trade

The EU and the Philippines have announced the restart of free trade talks after a seven-year halt, with the EU being the fifth largest trade partner for the Philippines in 2023. Talks were previously halted in 2017 during Rodrigo Duterte's presidency. Media agency Bloomberg reports that the trade deal will ensure mutual market access and diversify supply chains, offering more opportunities for professionals and service providers.