Latest news with #Luzon
South China Morning Post
3 days ago
- Climate
- South China Morning Post
Hong Kong warned of possible low-pressure area near Luzon that may affect region
This story has been made freely available as a public service to our readers. Please consider supporting SCMP's journalism by subscribing. New users who download our updated app get a seven-day free trial. Advertisement The Hong Kong Observatory has warned of the possible development of an area of low pressure near Luzon in the Philippines next week that could affect the coast of southeastern China. The forecaster said on Saturday that the weather would be mainly fine over southern China early next week, with persistently very hot days under the influence of an anticyclone aloft. But conditions were expected to become unstable later in the week. 'An area of low pressure may develop near Luzon within the broad trough of low pressure early to midweek next week, and move in the general direction of the seas east of Taiwan to the vicinity of the coast of southeastern China in the middle and latter parts of next week,' the observatory said. 'Its chance of development over the South China Sea still cannot be ruled out, but remains rather uncertain.' Advertisement According to the latest nine-day forecast, temperatures in the coming week are projected to range between 26 and 33 degrees Celsius (73.4 and 91.4 Fahrenheit).
Japan Times
4 days ago
- Japan Times
Philippines detains leader of 'JP Dragon' crime ring
The Philippines' Bureau of Immigration has detained Ryuji Yoshioka, 55, the suspected leader of the "JP Dragon" crime ring based in the Southeast Asian country, investigative sources said Friday. The criminal organization, which includes former Japanese gang members, allegedly worked with another Philippines-based fraud group led by Kiyoto Imamura, 41. Imamura, who is suspected of instructing perpetrators in robbery cases in Japan and often called himself "Luffy," has been charged with robbery resulting in death. According to the investigative sources, Yoshioka was taken into custody on the northwestern Philippine island of Luzon on Wednesday. The Fukuoka Prefectural Police obtained a warrant to arrest him on suspicion of theft over his alleged involvement in a fraud case in which a cash card was stolen from a Japanese national in June 2023 after a call in which a swindler pretended to be a police officer. In 2024, the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department arrested a senior member of JP Dragon. Seven other members of the group, under arrest warrants obtained by the Fukuoka police, were detained by the Philippine immigration authorities last month. Japanese police plan to ask the Philippines to extradite them.
NHK
26-05-2025
- Politics
- NHK
US, Philippine Marines to conduct live-fire drill of NMESIS missile system
The US Marine Corps will carry out a live-fire drill using the cutting-edge NMESIS anti-ship missile system during joint exercises with the Philippines for the first time. The two countries' Marines started the annual event in the Philippines on Monday. A news conference was held at Philippine Marine Corps headquarters in Manila. Commandant Arturo Rojas said there will be a live-fire drill using NMESIS during a counter landing exercise, along with simulations. The system uses remotely operated unmanned vehicles to launch anti-ship missiles with a range of over 180 kilometers. A US official said the system will enhance the Philippines' defense and allow the country to modernize its military. The live-fire drill may draw a sharp reaction by China as it will be held in the Philippines' northern part of Luzon island, near Taiwan. The joint exercises will take place across the Philippines through June 6, with more than 4,000 US and Philippine personnel taking part. They will also be joined by other countries including Japan and South Korea.
New York Times
22-05-2025
- General
- New York Times
This Filipino Chicken Soup Heals and Restores
The first time Jill Damatac made adobo, when she was 26, she boiled the meat for two and a half hours, until it was purged of moisture, purpose and soul. The meager pinches of ginger and garlic that went into the pot came desiccated, in jars. What wound up on the plate was 'a salty recollection of sauce,' she writes in her memoir, 'Dirty Kitchen.' She did not know how to make adobo, or any Filipino dish for that matter. She had stopped eating the food of her childhood and of her ancestors — had almost stopped being Filipino, 'as a form of survival,' she writes. She was trying to be wholly American, to hide her secret: that although she had lived in the United States since she was 9, alighting in Newark after a journey of 30 hours and three planes, her family was never able to obtain official papers; that she was undocumented. Like many children of immigrants, she had to find her way back to her heritage, to approach it almost as an outsider. She turned to old cookbooks and trawled the comments section of Panlasang Pinoy, an online trove of Filipino recipes. The more she researched, the more curious she became about older, precolonial traditions, particularly among her father's people, the highland Ifugao of the Cordillera region of Luzon. So often, she told me, these were sensationalized as exotic relics and 'noble savage stuff.' You could call it a chicken soup, but understand that this is a merely literal description. Pinikpikan 'is not primarily cooked for pleasure,' Damatac writes. 'It is eaten as the final part of a holy ceremony, which must appease the gods and offer compensation to a displeased universe.' When a member of the family falls ill, the mumbaki comes. To cook is to cure. If you are tender of heart, you may prefer to skip to the next paragraph. For in this ritual, there is no veil between life and death. The root of 'pinikpikan' is 'pik-pik,' 'to beat,' and historically the people who eat the dish must first stand witness as the chicken, the required sacrifice, is struck with a stick — softly, according to accounts, if that is of any comfort — to make the blood rise under the skin. Damatac writes about this forthrightly. This is who we were, she says: 'We need to be seen throughout all our incarnations in time.' (Today the practice is banned under the country's Animal Welfare Act.) If you cannot find a traditional healer, there is another form of medicine: tinola, a chicken soup that is more earthbound, perhaps, but no less restorative. It rewards patience, as its subtle flavor 'does not bloom, soft and gentle on the tongue, until the second mouthful,' Damatac writes. There are echoes of pinikpikan in its profusion of ginger, bringing a sweet heat; peppery malunggay (moringa) leaves in their mysterious fractals; chayote, kin to squash but as bracing as an apple, for a clean, juicy bite. Patis (fish sauce) stands in for salt. Damatac, who chose to self-deport in 2015 and is now, at age 42, a British citizen, recalls how her lola (grandmother) made tinola, with the whole chicken, in a 'chuck everything in the pot and deal with it' way. In her own version, she uses just thighs and drumsticks, with skin and on the bone, and bronzes them before submerging them in chicken stock and setting to a simmer. (For only 20 minutes: She has learned her lesson.) One part of her heritage that she never lost: her love of chicken skin. She buys extra from the butcher and crisps it, starting the pan cold and letting the heat rise, watching as the fat melts and sputters. She serves it with the tinola, adding it as a topping at the last possible moment, so it won't soften and sink in the broth. She likes the shatter, the dark shards of gold between her teeth. It comes with a touch of déjà vu, as she writes about adobo in her book: 'as if you have had it before, in a past life, when you were loved and well fed.'
UAE Moments
18-05-2025
- UAE Moments
Luzon Named One of the World's Top Trending Travel Spots
Luzon, the largest island in the Philippines, has landed a major spot on the global travel radar. The island ranked 13th among the world's top 25 trending destinations and 23rd in Asia's Best of the Best Destinations in the latest TripAdvisor Travelers' Choice Awards 2024. Known for its diverse landscapes and rich cultural mix, Luzon beat out hundreds of destinations worldwide to claim its place in this year's trending list. From coastal spots like Pagudpud to the historic streets of Vigan and the hustle of Manila nightlife, the island offers a variety of experiences that cater to every kind of traveler. Tourism in Luzon saw over 28 million visitors in 2023 According to the Department of Tourism (DOT), Luzon welcomed 28.57 million tourists last year. Of that, around 4 million were foreign visitors, while 24.57 million were local travelers. An additional 25,000 were overseas Filipinos. The National Capital Region (Metro Manila) was the top destination for foreign tourists, with 2.36 million international arrivals. This reflects a growing interest in the region's urban attractions, nightlife, and accessibility to other scenic locations across the island. Why Luzon is trending worldwide TripAdvisor highlighted Luzon's wide-ranging appeal—from natural wonders like volcanoes and rice terraces to colonial-era towns and modern cities. The platform praised the island for offering everything from nature hikes to food trips, saying travelers 'will be glad they stayed.' Southeast Asia dominates TripAdvisor's travel lists While London topped TripAdvisor's global list, Southeast Asia made a strong showing with six entries, including Bali, Hanoi, Bangkok, Hoi An, Siem Reap, and Phuket. In the Asia-only rankings, Osaka took the top spot, with Vietnam securing three places in the top 10. Luzon's rise in the rankings shows the Philippines' growing presence in global tourism, and with international travel fully bouncing back, more eyes are likely to turn toward the country's unique destinations.
