In a series of statements over the past weeks, Guterres called on both the United States and Israel to bring the war to an end, stressing that continued fighting is driving immense civilian suffering and amplifying global instability.

“It’s high time to end this war that is risking to get completely out of control,” he said, pointing to the mounting toll on civilians and the “dramatic” repercussions on the global economy, particularly for the world’s poorest nations.

The UN chief underscored that as violence intensifies, its ripple effects are being felt far beyond the immediate conflict zone, with vulnerable economies bearing the brunt of disruptions.

At the same time, Guterres issued a direct warning to Iran, urging it to cease attacks against neighboring countries that are not parties to the conflict.

“Stop attacking your neighbors. They were never parties to the conflict,” he said, noting that the United Nations Security Council has already condemned such actions and called for an immediate halt.

He also highlighted concerns over the continued disruption of the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global oil transit route, warning that its prolonged closure is inflicting widespread economic pain on countries with no direct involvement in the conflict.

“The prolonged closure of the Strait of Hormuz causes enormous pain in so many peoples around the world that have nothing to do with this conflict,” Guterres said.

Framing the crisis as a test of international order, the UN chief emphasized the need to uphold international law and pursue diplomatic solutions.

“It’s time for the force of the law to prevail over the law of the force. It’s time for diplomacy to prevail over war,” he said.

Guterres reiterated that as civilian casualties rise and economic fallout deepens, immediate de-escalation remains critical to preventing further humanitarian and geopolitical consequences.

Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel Jr. signed the import restriction, directing an immediate halt to shipments of poultry meat, day-old chicks, eggs, and semen originating from the Midwestern state of the US.

The decision follows a February 23 report from the US Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), confirming multiple outbreaks of H5N1 in Indiana. Laboratory confirmation was carried out by the National Veterinary Services Laboratories in Ames, Iowa.

The DA said the rapid spread of the virus across the US necessitated wider trade restrictions to shield the country’s multibillion-peso poultry industry from possible exposure.

Under a 2016 bilateral animal health arrangement between Manila and Washington, a state-wide ban may be imposed if three or more counties in a US state are affected by bird flu.

Indiana has breached that threshold, according to official reports submitted to the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH).

The import ban immediately suspends the processing and issuance of Sanitary and Phytosanitary Import Clearances (SPSICs) for the covered commodities. Previously approved SPS clearances for live birds are automatically revoked.

However, shipments already in transit, loaded, or accepted at port before the circular’s effectivity may still enter the Philippines—provided the products were slaughtered or produced on or before January 30.

All non-compliant shipments will be confiscated or dealt with under existing quarantine regulations. Veterinary quarantine officers across major ports have been instructed to enforce strict inspection and stoppage protocols.

President Marcos had a meeting with Undersecretary of War for Policy Eldridge Colby and his delegation in New York.

The meeting focused on strengthening deterrence in the Indo-Pacific and improving interoperability between the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the United States military through joint operations such as Exercise Balikatan, which will begin next month.

Both sides also reaffirmed their mutual commitment to the Mutual Defense Treaty and to continue working together for a stable and secure Indo-Pacific region.

Exercise Balikatan is the largest annual, bilateral military drill between the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the US military, strengthening the alliance, enhancing interoperability, and boosting regional security.

The US Department of War is now officially the Department of Defense (DOD). Its mission is to provide military forces necessary to protect the security of the United States.

According to Vatican News, Pope Leo announced the appointment on Saturday, March 7, naming the Italian prelate as the Holy See’s ambassador to Washington.

Caccia succeeds Cardinal Christophe Pierre, whose resignation was accepted after he turned 80 on January 30, reaching the canonical age limit for Vatican diplomats.

Caccia served as Apostolic Nuncio to the Philippines beginning in 2017, a period when the country drew intense global scrutiny over thousands of killings linked to Duterte’s anti-drug operations.

After two years in Manila, Pope Francis appointed him in 2019 as the Holy See’s Permanent Observer to the United Nations in New York, a post he held until his latest assignment.

Responding to his appointment, Archbishop Caccia said he was “honored and deeply humbled by the decision of the Holy Father” to appoint him as nuncio “to the Country and the Church” where the Pope was born and raised.

“I receive this mission with both joy and a sense of trepidation,” he underlined, while highlighting that this is a “mission at the service of communion and peace” and that it begins in the year in which the United States celebrates the 250th anniversary of its founding.

He added that he feels “encouraged by the warmth and openness” he has received from the local Church, the people, and the institutions of the United States, which he has come to know during his years of service at the United Nations in New York.

Born in Milan on February 24, 1958, Caccia was ordained a priest in 1983 by Cardinal Carlo Maria Martini. He initially served in the parish of San Giovanni Bosco in Milan before entering the Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy in Rome, the Vatican’s diplomatic school. He later earned a doctorate in theology and a licentiate in canon law from the Pontifical Gregorian University.

He joined the diplomatic service of the Holy See in 1991, beginning with an assignment to Tanzania. Two years later he was called to work in the Secretariat of State’s Section for General Affairs, and in 2002 he was named Assessor for General Affairs.

In 2009, Pope Benedict XVI appointed him Apostolic Nuncio to Lebanon and titular archbishop of Sepino. He received episcopal ordination from the Pope himself on September 12 that year.

After his diplomatic mission in the Philippines and subsequent posting to the United Nations, Caccia now moves to one of the Holy See’s most influential diplomatic assignments: representing the Vatican to both the US government and the American Catholic Church.

His appointment comes at a moment of renewed global attention to diplomacy and peacebuilding, roles that papal nuncios traditionally play as both ambassadors of the Holy See and liaisons with local Catholic communities.

In a news release dated Feb. 20, the DTI reported that purple yam — long a staple in Filipino desserts — has steadily evolved into a premium export ingredient in high-value markets such as the Middle East, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Italy.

Preliminary data show sustained growth in processed ube products, including powder, puree, halaya, and flavor extracts. Industry monitoring also points to strong interest from foreign manufacturers incorporating ube into ice cream, baked goods, confectionery, specialty beverages, and ready-to-eat desserts.

Global product development trends reflect the crop’s expanding footprint. According to Mintel’s Global New Products Database (GNPD), 359 new products featuring ube were launched worldwide across various markets.

While the Philippines accounts for the largest share of these launches — mainly in cakes, pastries, sweet goods, and dairy-based products such as ice cream and frozen yogurt — innovation is gaining momentum abroad.

Japan, China, and the United States have emerged as key innovation hubs. In Japan, ube is featured in chilled and shelf-stable desserts; in China, in cakes, pastries, malt and hot beverages; and in the United States, in dairy-based ice cream, frozen yogurt, sweet biscuits, and cookies.

DTI Secretary Cristina A. Roque said the growing international adoption of ube underscores the Philippines’ ability to elevate a traditional crop into a competitive, value-added export.

“Behind every ube product enjoyed overseas are Filipino farmers and MSMEs whose dedication sustains their families and rural communities. That is why we continue to strengthen support for the sector by improving quality standards and reinforcing supply chains, so Philippine ube can compete confidently and sustainably in international markets,” Roque said.

The DTI, through its Export Marketing Bureau (EMB), provides trade promotion assistance, market intelligence, and capacity-building programs to help exporters access and expand in global markets.

Exporters seeking information on requirements and trade promotion programs may contact the DTI-Export Marketing Bureau at exports@dti.gov.ph.

Data from the Board of Investments show Philippine aerospace exports reached US$590.2 million in 2024, rising further to US$603.1 million in the first nine months of 2025. Major markets include the United States, Singapore, France, and China.

Building on this momentum, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), through the Philippine Trade and Investment Centre in Singapore (PTIC-Singapore), is promoting the country’s capabilities in aerospace manufacturing, parts production, sub-assemblies, and MRO services at the Philippine Pavilion of the Singapore Airshow 2026.

DTI is supporting the Philippine delegation by facilitating business matching and targeted introductions with potential foreign investors, buyers, and partners attending the Airshow. The DTI Singapore team, led by Commercial Counsellor Carla Grepo, is helping strengthen industry links, including collaboration between the Aerospace Industries Association of the Philippines, represented by Executive Director Wilfredo Estoque, and the Association of Aerospace Industries Singapore, led by Chew Hwee Yong.

DTI’s engagement focuses on positioning the Philippines as a competitive location for aerospace manufacturing and services while advancing direct commercial discussions between Philippine firms and international aerospace companies.

The country already hosts established aerospace manufacturers and global MRO players, supported by a growing local supplier base engaged in precision machining, components, and assemblies. These operations are anchored in investment-ready industrial zones and airport-linked developments promoted by other agencies represented in the Pavilion.

The Philippine Pavilion brings together economic agencies, infrastructure operators, and private-sector firms engaged in aviation and aerospace. Delegates include representatives from the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines, Philippine Airlines, Clark International Airport Corporation, Aerospace Industries Association of the Philippines, LIPAD Corporation, Poro Point Management Corporation, European Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines, Berthaphil Inc., Skytrack Aviation Services, Skyway Airlines, and Wingbox Aviation.

Sponsored by the Bases Conversion and Development Authority and the Department of Tourism, the Pavilion was open to visitors from 3–6 February 2026.

Singapore, a regional headquarters hub for many global aviation and aerospace firms, provides a strategic platform for investment discussions, particularly for companies seeking Southeast Asian manufacturing and services partners.

Interested companies may contact PTIC-Singapore at singapore@dti.gov.ph

In a news release earlier this week (Feb. 15), Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel Jr. ordered the move following updated animal health reports showing that Illinois and Wisconsin no longer meet the threshold for state-wide trade restrictions under a 2016 bilateral animal health agreement between the Philippines and the US. The arrangement allows a blanket ban only when three or more counties in a US state are affected by highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI).

For Illinois, veterinary surveillance data showed that previous HPAI cases had been contained and were no longer spreading across multiple counties. With the risk downgraded, the DA cleared the state for the resumption of poultry imports, including meat, eggs, day-old chicks, and poultry semen, subject to existing sanitary and phytosanitary regulations.

Wisconsin received the same clearance after authorities determined that its avian influenza situation remained localized and manageable. The DA said disease monitoring and control measures in the state were sufficient to prevent wider transmission, allowing trade to resume and restoring an important source of poultry supply for the Philippines.

Kansas, however, remains on ice. According to a January 19 report from the US Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, several outbreaks of H5N1 Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza were confirmed in multiple counties across the state, breaching the agreed three-county threshold. The DA cited the rapid spread of the virus and the need to protect the local poultry industry as reasons for maintaining the ban.

“We have to strike a careful balance,” Tiu Laurel said. “Our priority is food security, but that cannot come at the expense of public health or the safety of our local poultry population. The poultry sector represents billions in investments and supports thousands of jobs, especially in rural communities. Protecting it is non-negotiable.”

Under the continuing restrictions, all imports of domestic and wild birds and their products from Kansas—including poultry meat, eggs, day-old chicks, and semen — remain prohibited. The DA has also suspended the processing and issuance of sanitary and phytosanitary import clearances and revoked previously approved permits for live birds.

Only shipments already in transit and produced on or before December 19, 2025 may enter, provided they meet strict documentation requirements. Non-compliant shipments will be stopped and confiscated at ports of entry.

The DA said the selective lifting of the ban underscores its risk-based approach to trade—opening doors where disease threats have eased, while keeping them firmly shut where outbreaks continue to pose a clear danger.

The twin developments come at a time of heightened geopolitical uncertainty — from tensions in the South China Sea affecting the Philippines’ security outlook to shifting economic alignments in North America that are prompting Canada to diversify its trade and strategic partnerships.

Against this backdrop, Manila and Ottawa are moving to strengthen both defense coordination and economic integration as part of a broader effort to reinforce a rules-based order in the Indo-Pacific.

Undersecretary for Policy Leo M. Herrera-Lim, who led the Philippine delegation, pointed to the growing momentum in bilateral ties, citing the recently concluded visiting forces pact and progress in trade negotiations as key milestones.

“The Philippines considers Canada a credible, reliable, and principled partner, in supporting both our bilateral and collective efforts in promoting peace and security in the region,” he said.

“We share Canada’s enthusiasm in increasing and further exploring other areas of cooperation,” Undersecretary Herrera-Lim added.

Assistant Deputy Minister for Indo-Pacific Weldon Epp, who led the Canadian delegation, also underscored the importance of closer collaboration.

As vibrant democracies, he said, both countries’ values and interests are aligned, noting the need to work together to advance mutual priorities.

The SOVFA, concluded in November 2025, allows Canadian troops to train and participate in exercises in the Philippines and vice versa, placing Canada alongside existing Philippine defense partners such as the United States, Australia, Japan, and New Zealand. The agreement is seen as a concrete step toward strengthening deterrence, enhancing disaster response coordination, and expanding maritime security cooperation.

The JCBC meeting also highlighted progress toward a bilateral free trade agreement — a move that reflects both countries’ interest in diversifying markets and building more resilient supply chains.

For Canada, expanding economic links with Southeast Asia aligns with its Indo-Pacific Strategy and efforts to reduce reliance on traditional trade partners.

For the Philippines, deeper access to Canadian markets supports its push to attract investments and position itself as a gateway to the region.

Delegates discussed expanding cooperation in energy security, critical minerals, and cybersecurity — areas that are increasingly strategic as global supply chains shift and countries seek trusted partners for resource development and digital infrastructure.

A relationship anchored in people and trade

Canada-Philippines relations have steadily broadened over the past decades, supported by strong people-to-people ties and growing economic exchanges.

Two-way merchandise trade reached roughly US$3.4 billion in 2023, with Philippine exports estimated at about US$2.2 billion and Canadian exports at around US$1.2 billion. Services trade has also been significant, valued at approximately C$2.6 billion in 2023, making the Philippines Canada’s second most important export market in ASEAN.

Canadian firms continue to maintain a presence in Philippine economic zones, employing thousands of workers in sectors such as electronics, IT-BPM, and manufacturing.

Canada has also committed more than C$76 million in development funding for projects in climate resilience, disaster risk reduction, and inclusive growth.

Since 1986, Ottawa has provided over C$1 billion in official development assistance to the Philippines, supporting governance programs, climate-smart agriculture, public health, and peace-building initiatives, particularly in the Bangsamoro region.

Beyond trade and development, the relationship is reinforced by migration and education links. Canada hosts a large and growing Filipino community, estimated at close to one million people, while tens of thousands of Filipinos study in Canadian institutions each year.

Responding to an evolving global landscape

Both sides acknowledged the rapidly changing international environment and reaffirmed their commitment to upholding international law, freedom of navigation, and stability in the Indo-Pacific — issues that have taken on greater urgency amid tensions in the South China Sea.

The JCBC, created in 2012, serves as a platform to review progress and identify new areas of cooperation. At the latest meeting, officials from both countries also discussed collaboration in labor and migration, consular affairs, health, education, space, and indigenous peoples’ programs.

They also reaffirmed shared support for a rules-based international order and closer coordination as partners in multilateral platforms such as the United Nations, APEC, and ASEAN-related mechanisms.

Other senior members of the Philippine delegation included DICT Undersecretary Julius Gorospe, DFA Office of American Affairs Assistant Secretary Raquel R. Solano, Philippine Ambassador to Canada Jose Victor V. Chan-Gonzaga, DFA Maritime and Oceans Affairs Assistant Secretary Emmanuel Donato K. Guzman, DENR Assistant Secretary Noralene Uy, and DEPDev Assistant Secretary Jonathan Uy.

The Canadian delegation included Canadian Ambassador to the Philippines David Hartman and Jason Tolland, Special Advisor to Global Affairs Canada for the Indo-Pacific.

The 38-minute film — shot over four years in Ukraine, Poland, and the Czech Republic — follows schoolchildren who pursue education and normalcy even as Russian attacks threaten their future.

Monsi Alfonso Serrano, founder and publisher of THEPHILBIZNEWS who took many of the footages himself, said the documentary aims to broaden understanding not only of the Russia-Ukraine war, now entering its fourth year, but also of emerging geopolitical threats that echo far beyond Europe.

“Despite the war they continue to go to school, they don’t care about the bombing. I hope that kind of resilience would resonate with the Filipino youth — valuing studies,” Serrano said.

Film editor Vince Zarate noted that while editing the film, Honey Academy in Kharkiv, which was where some of the films were shot, was later destroyed by relentless shelling.

Ukraine’s ambassador to the Philippines, Yuliia Fediv, said the film serves as a vital counterweight to misinformation and apathy.

“I can give you the numbers — of bombs dropped, schools bombed, children affected, but giving face to the numbers gave the film its power,” Ambassador Fediv said.

Aricel Garcia of Fuji TV, who attended the screening, called the film both “touching” and “powerful,” especially as most of it was told in the voices of the children themselves.

Garcia took note of the Ukrainian ambassador’s message that everyone — diplomats, journalists and citizens — needs to “do their duty and be enlightened of what’s happening in the world.”

Diplomats connected the film’s message to wider fissures in the global order. Israeli Ambassador Dana Kursh said showing the reality through children’s eyes is “amazing.”

EU Ambassador Massimo Santoro, who said he had also been in Ukraine to see the war for himself, framed the documentary within calls for an end to the war, warning that “the bigger victim here is the international rules-based order.”

While “Hope For the Dawn To Come” brings audiences face-to-face with the human toll of war, the geopolitical landscape is shifting in multiple theaters:

Former US President Donald Trump has sought to “acquire” Greenland from Denmark, including talk of military options, alarming European leaders and raising questions about the future of alliances such as NATO.

At the start of 2026, U.S. forces conducted a dramatic operation in Venezuela that resulted in the capture of President Nicolás Maduro. Experts warn that actions in Venezuela could shape how other nations, including China, gauge the resolve and methods of global powers, with potential implications for security calculations in other regions.

In the Pacific, Taiwan remains at the center of simmering geopolitical competition between Beijing and Washington. Control of Taiwan, together with the West Philippine Sea, given their strategic location and role in global trade and regional defense, remains a flashpoint where the rules-based international order and power politics collide.

“Hope For the Dawn To Come” is a non-commercial documentary produced by The Philippine Business and News (THEPHILBIZNEWS) and rated PG-13 for its educational and inspirational material.

Beyond telling one story of resilience, it invites audiences to reflect on the broader global shifts that are shaping the futures of children in war-torn lands, contested seas, and strategic islands — from Kyiv to the Arctic to the Pacific.

“This transaction marks the [government’s] return to the international capital markets for 2026, building on a robust track record of successful issuances, following a dual-currency issuance of US$2.25 billion and EUR 1 billion in January 2025, a US$2.5 billion triple-tranche offering in August 2024, and a US$2 billion dual-tranche offering in May 2024,” according to the press release making the announcement.

These bonds pay a fixed interest rate, and the initial target yields are: “T+70 bps” for 5.5‑year, “T+100 bps” for 10-year (meaning 0.70% and 1.00% above relevant US Treasury yields), and about 5.9% for the 25-year bond.

Credit rating agencies are expected to rate these bonds around investment‑grade level (Baa2, BBB+, BBB), and the deal is scheduled to settle on 27 January 2026.

“The Global Bonds are expected to be rated Baa2 by Moody’s, BBB+ by Standard & Poor’s, and BBB by Fitch,” according to the press release.

Philippine government officials said this shows continued access to global capital markets, supports its economic and development agenda, and that proceeds will be used for general budget financing (not a specific project only).

“The Marcos administration remains firmly committed to promoting strong and inclusive socioeconomic growth. This transaction underscores our steadfast dedication to sound fiscal policy and sustainable development. We are confident that our policy direction and reform agenda will continue to resonate with the global investment community and support a successful outcome for this offering,” said Finance Secretary Frederick D. Go.

For her part, National Treasurer Sharon P. Almanza said, “We have seen favorable market conditions for the [Philippine government] to return to the international capital markets today. Anchored on stable fundamentals and our recent credit affirmation, this transaction reflects our proactive and strategic approach to secure cost-efficient funding while advancing the national government’s development priorities. We value the continued confidence and support of our investors.”

Big international banks (BofA, Deutsche Bank, HSBC, J.P. Morgan, Morgan Stanley, Standard Chartered, UBS) are acting as lead managers and bookrunners — essentially arranging and selling the bonds to investors.

The offering will be made in compliance with applicable securities laws, and the Bureau of Treasury said it does not constitute an offer to sell securities in the United States.