#southeast-asia — Public Fediverse posts

been wanting to draw more local rodent species lately, so here's a red spiny rat!

#rat #rats #ratsOfMastodon #ratsOfFediverse #rodents #cute #cuteArt #wildLife #wildLifeArt #animalArt #singapore #southEastAsia

Gold earring, Indonesia, 8th-12th century AD

https://piefed.social/c/historyartifacts/p/2068089/gold-earring-indonesia-8th-12th-century-ad

US Embassy Delegation Meets With SBMA For Luzon Economic Corridor

The Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) announced the United States Ambassador to the Philippines Heather Variava and her delegation composed of many representatives of the U.S. economic team recently visited the Subic Bay Freeport Zone and met with Chairman and Administrator Eduardo Jose L. Aliño for high-level discussions about the Luzon Economic Corridor (LEC).

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the SBMA’s official announcement. Some parts in boldface…

The United States Embassy delegation for the Luzon Economic Corridor Steering Committee visited this premier Freeport on May 13, 2026, seeking to create more investment opportunities.

US Ambassador Heather Variava, Senior Advisor for Economic, Energy, and Business Affairs, and Head of Delegation for the committee, together with several representatives of the US economic team, arrived here as part of the mission to work on US-Philippines growth through a series of coordination with government officials and business leaders.

The ambassador met with officials of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA), led by Chairman and Administrator Eduardo Jose L. Aliño, to discuss economic growth efforts for the Luzon Economic Corridor (LEC).

The LEC is a multi-billion-dollar economic partnership designed to supercharge infrastructure, logistics, and supply-chain connectivity between four primary hubs in the Philippines: Subic Bay, Clark, Manila, and Batangas.

Chairman Aliño said that the trilateral initiative with the US, Japan, and the Philippines has now expanded to include Australia, Denmark, France, Italy, South Korea, Sweden, and the United Kingdom.

“This ambitious venture will strengthen infrastructure, supply chains, and green energy across Subic, Clark, Manila, and Batangas. It is most timely that Her Excellency Heather Variava and her delegation visit us now, as the Luzon Economic Corridor gains momentum through international partnerships and expanded economic engagement,” he added.

The SBMA top official said that with upcoming projects in railway connectivity, port modernization, clean energy, and semiconductor supply chains, “Subic Bay’s role as a premier logistics and manufacturing hub grows even stronger.”

Initially launched in April 2024 as a trilateral project between the Philippines, the United States, and Japan under the G7’s Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment (PGI), the initiative has rapidly scaled into a powerful 10-nation coalition.

The said visit is part of her travel to coordinate strategic infrastructure and investments alongside the Philippine government and business leaders, as the ambassador advocates for streamlining complex regulations to increase investor confidence.

In the official press release issued by U.S. Embassy in the Philippines, the Luzon Economic Corridor’s partners share a commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific and pledge to promote fair and transparent economic development. The partners will contribute through technical assistance, financing, and facilitation of private sector investments, while actively participating in working groups focused on transport, energy, and digital infrastructure.

“The expansion of the Luzon Economic Corridor partnership shows what we can accomplish when likeminded nations unite around strategic infrastructure and shared prosperity. This initiative is creating real opportunities for U.S. business, our Philippine partners, and investors across the Indo-Pacific while countering exploitative infrastructure practices with a better alternative,” said U.S. Senior Advisor for Economic, Energy, and Business Affairs Ambassador Heather Variava.

Let me end this post by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? Do you consider the US Embassy delegation’s Subic Bay visit a strong move to convince foreign investors to be part of the Luzon Economic Corridor? Do you expect to see more economic cooperation and meetings between America and the Philippines over the next twelve months?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

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Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below, share this article to others and also please consider making a donation to support my publishing. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at @CarloCarrascoPH as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/ and on Instagram athttps://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco

Tourists from Spain and Peru Deported By Thailand After Committing Sexual Act On A Moving Vehicle

If you are touring a foreign land, you better behave yourselves in order to maintain a good standing as a foreign visitor. This is an important lesson to learn as Thailand deported a Spanish man and a Peruvian woman who got caught doing a sex act while riding a moving vehicle locally called the tuk-tuk, according to a news report by VnExpress. The deported ones already confessed their act of indecency.

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the news report of VnExpress. Some parts in boldface…

Thai immigration authorities have deported a Spanish man and a Peruvian woman after they were allegedly caught performing a sex act on a moving tuk-tuk in popular island Phuket earlier this week.

The 41-year-old man and 43-year-old woman were filmed engaging in oral sex aboard the tuk-tuk on Sunday, in an incident that sparked public criticism over damage to Thailand’s tourism image, Bangkok Post reported.

Police interrogated the couple on Monday night and both confessed to their act, Nation Thailand reported.

They were charged with public indecency and immigration police said that the couple have been blacklisted and deported.

Public sex and indecent acts are punishable by fines of up to 5,000 baht (US$155) under Thai law.

However, the penalties have done little to deter some tourists from engaging in public nudity and other inappropriate behaviour outdoors.

On April 12, a French couple, both 24, were arrested after allegedly engaging in a public sex act on Rayee Beach. The pair were later deported after videos circulated online showing the nude woman straddling her boyfriend and performing sexual acts in full view of beachgoers.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this development? Did you spot any foreign tourists who misbehaved or broke laws in your country lately?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

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Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below, share this article to others and also please consider making a donation to support my publishing. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at @CarloCarrascoPH as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/ and on Instagram athttps://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco

Deal Signed For Vietnam To Supply Rice To The Philippines

On the sidelines of the recent summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), a new agreement was signed for Vietnam to supply the Philippines with 1.5 million metric tons of rice which will last until April 2027, according to a news report by the Manila Standard.

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the Manila Standard report. Some parts in boldface…

The Philippines and Vietnam signed a new rice supply agreement on Thursday during high-level bilateral talks on the sidelines of the ASEAN Summit in Cebu City, as Manila moves to secure stable imports amid rising global uncertainties.

Department of Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said the Philippines secured a one-year agreement for the supply of 1.5 million metric tons of rice from Vietnam, ensuring uninterrupted shipments through April 2027. The deal helps stabilize the domestic market against geopolitical risks and climate-related production threats.

“Securing import volumes until next April is crucial amid geopolitical uncertainties and climate risks,” Tiu Laurel said, noting that stable supply is essential to keeping rice prices manageable in the domestic market.

Both sides finalized pricing and logistics arrangements and agreed on a benchmark price of $450 per metric ton for the widely consumed DT8 rice variety. Vietnam remains the Philippines’ largest rice supplier and accounts for the bulk of the country’s imported grain requirements.

Tiu Laurel said Manila is prioritizing reliable supply channels as regional demand continues to rise, fueled partly by tensions in the Middle East and concerns over possible production disruptions from another El Niño episode. He added that Vietnam seeks a long-term trade framework covering rice and other agricultural commodities.

“Even the Vietnamese prime minister consistently highlighted this during the bilateral meeting,” Tiu Laurel said.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Vietnam Prime Minister Lê Minh Hưng pushed the deal during the latter’s first ASEAN Summit appearance in Cebu. The two leaders also commemorated the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the 2 countries while discussing expanded cooperation in trade, tourism, agriculture and investment.

Let me end this post by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? Do you think the new rice supply agreement between the Philippines and Vietnam ensures food security for the Filipino people? Have you ever tasted rice imported from Vietnam? Do you think the Philippines should focus more on harvesting a lot more local rice grain and support more domestic rice farmers to ensure a better internal supply?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

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Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below, share this article to others and also please consider making a donation to support my publishing. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at @CarloCarrascoPH as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/ and on Instagram athttps://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco

Archaeoethnologica: Cosmology & Social Life - Book / Cosmologia e Vida Social - Livro

+INFO in: https://archaeoethnologica.blogspot.com/2026/05/cosmologia-e-vida-social-livro.html

#Anthropology #HistoryofReligions #Asia #SouthEastAsia #ritual #mythology #cosmology #ethnography #symbolism #power #strangerkings #Timor #books #openaccess

Archaeoethnologica: Cosmology & Social Life - Book / Cosmologia e Vida Social - Livro

+INFO in: https://archaeoethnologica.blogspot.com/2026/05/cosmologia-e-vida-social-livro.html

#Anthropology #HistoryofReligions #Asia #SouthEastAsia #ritual #mythology #cosmology #ethnography #symbolism #power #strangerkings #Timor #books #openaccess

Archaeoethnologica: Cosmology & Social Life - Book / Cosmologia e Vida Social - Livro

+INFO in: https://archaeoethnologica.blogspot.com/2026/05/cosmologia-e-vida-social-livro.html

#Anthropology #HistoryofReligions #Asia #SouthEastAsia #ritual #mythology #cosmology #ethnography #symbolism #power #strangerkings #Timor #books #openaccess

Archaeoethnologica: Cosmology & Social Life - Book / Cosmologia e Vida Social - Livro

+INFO in: https://archaeoethnologica.blogspot.com/2026/05/cosmologia-e-vida-social-livro.html

#Anthropology #HistoryofReligions #Asia #SouthEastAsia #ritual #mythology #cosmology #ethnography #symbolism #power #strangerkings #Timor #books #openaccess

Archaeoethnologica: Cosmology & Social Life - Book / Cosmologia e Vida Social - Livro

+INFO in: https://archaeoethnologica.blogspot.com/2026/05/cosmologia-e-vida-social-livro.html

#Anthropology #HistoryofReligions #Asia #SouthEastAsia #ritual #mythology #cosmology #ethnography #symbolism #power #strangerkings #Timor #books #openaccess

Archaeoethnologica: Cosmology & Social Life - Book / Cosmologia e Vida Social - Livro

+INFO in: https://archaeoethnologica.blogspot.com/2026/05/cosmologia-e-vida-social-livro.html

#Anthropology #HistoryofReligions #Asia #SouthEastAsia #ritual #mythology #cosmology #ethnography #symbolism #power #strangerkings #Timor #books #openaccess

"A research team led by National Geographic Explorer Sita Manitkoon has discovered a new long-necked dinosaur they estimate was over 88 feet long and weighed nearly 30 tons.

“Initial measurements of the bones excavated suggested that this could be the largest dinosaur ever found in Southeast Asia,” says Manitkoon, a paleontologist at Mahasarakham University in Thailand."

https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/article/nagatitan-thailand-dinosaur

#Thailand #Dinosaurs #Fossils #SouthEastAsia

Gulf Energy Crisis Exposes Southeast Asia’s Renewable Energy Dilemma – The Diplomat

A surge in global fuel prices following disruptions around the Strait of Hormuz has exposed the …
#NewsBeep #News #Environment #ASEANenergy #ASEANenergyintegration #AU #Australia #Climatechange #Philippines #Philippinesenergypolicy #Philippinesenergysecurity #Science #SoutheastAsia #SoutheastAsiaenergy #SoutheastAsiagreentransition #SoutheastAsiarenewableenergy #straitofhormuz
https://www.newsbeep.com/au/668984/

Gulf Energy Crisis Exposes Southeast Asia’s Renewable Energy Dilemma – The Diplomat

A surge in global fuel prices following disruptions around the Strait of Hormuz…
#NewsBeep #News #Environment #ASEANenergy #ASEANenergyintegration #ClimateChange #environment #Philippines #Philippinesenergypolicy #Philippinesenergysecurity #Science #SoutheastAsia #SoutheastAsiaenergy #SoutheastAsiagreentransition #SoutheastAsiarenewableenergy #straitofhormuz #UK #UnitedKingdom
https://www.newsbeep.com/uk/582323/

Stop taking basic Cebu photos—here's where the real shots are 📸

Read more: https://flip.it/nUmLRn

#travel #southeastasia #asean #aseantravel #philippines #cebu #cebucity #templeofleah #wanderlust

U.S. Trade And Development Agency To Fund Feasibility Study For Sangley Point International Airport

Here in the Philippines, the push to develop new international airports to improve air travel connectivity with other destinations gained a major step forward as the United States Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) will fund a crucial feasibility study for the multi-billion Dollar Sangley Point International Airport (SPIA) project, according to a news report by the Manila Bulletin.

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the Manila Bulletin report. Some parts in boldface…

The United States (US) Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) will fund a feasibility study for the proposed Sangley Point International Airport in Cavite, a project aimed at easing congestion in Metro Manila and bolstering security for direct transpacific flights.

The USTDA awarded the grant to Cavitex Holdings Inc., a local developer leading the project consortium, the agency said in a statement on Tuesday, May 12.

Cavitex has selected California-based The S-A-P Group LLC to conduct the technical analysis, which will include air traffic forecasting, financial modeling, and the design of security protocols for a facility intended to serve as a major gateway for US-bound travel.

The investment comes as the Philippines struggles to manage surging aviation demand. Metro Manila’s primary gateway, Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), handled approximately 52 million passengers in 2025, pushing its aging infrastructure to the limit. The Sangley project is a central component of the Luzon Economic Corridor, a strategic initiative designed to strengthen economic resilience and infrastructure connectivity across the country’s most populous island.

“The high volume of direct international travel between the United States and the Philippines reflects the steadfast friendship of our two countries,” said Thomas R. Hardy, USTDA deputy director.

He added that the project aligns with the broader goal of maintaining a free and open Indo-Pacific by fostering safe and efficient passenger traffic.

For Cavitex, the US backing provides both technical expertise and a gateway to American technology. The study will evaluate the adoption of US solutions for security screening, telecommunications, and airport construction.

Leonides J.M. Virata, Cavitex president and chief executive officer, said the grant will accelerate the development of an airport expected to generate tens of thousands of jobs and unlock billions of pesos in long-term economic activity.

While the project cost remains subject to the study’s findings, the consortium has previously indicated that the multi-phase redevelopment of the former naval base could require an investment exceeding 500 billion pesos. The project is designed to handle both cargo and passenger traffic, providing a necessary relief valve for the capital region’s saturated airspace.

The USTDA functions as a “first mover” for US government involvement in emerging market infrastructure, providing the technical groundwork required to make large-scale projects bankable.

Let me end this post by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? Are you convinced that the USTDA’s funding of a feasibility study is very crucial for the development of the Sangley Point International Airport? Do you think there really is a high volume of direct international travel between America and the Philippines? Do you think the development of new international airports in the Philippines will progress better as long as the national government does not get involved?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

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Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below, share this article to others and also please consider making a donation to support my publishing. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at @CarloCarrascoPH as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/ and on Instagram athttps://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco

Decorative stoneware bottle, Vietnam, 14th century AD

https://piefed.social/c/historyartifacts/p/2057859/decorative-stoneware-bottle-vietnam-14th-century-ad

Japanese trading house Sojitz is looking to Southeast Asia and other regions as new potential sources of rare earths, as it aims to boost output and diversify its supply chain of the highly sought-after materials. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/business/2026/05/13/companies/sojitz-southeast-asia-rare-earths/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #business #companies #sojitz #rareearths #southeastasia #lng #trade #energy

Dancers in traditional masks, Indonesia, ~1900

https://piefed.social/c/historyphotos/p/2056526/dancers-in-traditional-masks-indonesia-1900

Worst Start to Wildfire Season Raises Alarm as El Niño Threatens

Record-breaking heat and drought have fueled the world’s worst ever start to a wildfire year, as climate change…
#NewsBeep #News #Environment #Alaska #Argentina #AU #Australia #Chile #Climatechange #food #green #ImperialCollegeLondon #Iran #japan #Science #SoutheastAsia #war
https://www.newsbeep.com/au/666054/

National Bilibid Prison Development Plan Tackled By Muntinlupa City Councilors

Recently in the progressive city of Muntinlupa, the development plan of the National Bilibid Prison was tackled by the City Council in the form of a public hearing with several stakeholders present, according to a Manila Bulletin news report.

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from Manila Bulletin report. Some parts in boldface…

The Muntinlupa City Council held a public hearing to address the impending development of the vast land of the New Bilibid Prison (NBP), which is expected to affect residents.

The NBP, located in Barangay Poblacion, is under the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) and houses prison facilities.

The NBP Reservation, which refers to the surrounding areas outside the prison facilities, contains houses of BuCor employees, public school teachers, and residents, as well as public schools and churches.

The City Council’s Committee of the Whole, with all councilors present, conducted the public hearing together with presidents of resident associations and informal settlers, representatives from the Commission on Human Rights, Presidential Commission for the Urban Poor, Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development, and BuCor.

Councilor Raul Corro, majority floor leader, said the entire City Council held the hearing “due to the importance of the subject matter: the Bucor proposed master development plan for NBP.”

He explained that the hearing discussed the “concern of informal settlers on their relocation and the legal requirements to be met to have a relocation plan that meets the minimum livable requirements such as availability of basic services like water, power and other amenities.”

Corro emphasized that the city government is entitled to its equitable share in the development of any national wealth such as land under its jurisdiction, and should be informed about the kind of development to be implemented in NBP. 

Let me end this post by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? If you are a resident of Muntinlupa City, what is your opinion about the planned development of the New Bilibid Prison which has a vast land that includes residences, communities, schools and churches already? What is the best place the City Government can find as the target destination of relocation the informal settlers?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

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Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below, share this article to others and also please consider making a donation to support my publishing. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at  @HavenorFantasy as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/ and on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco

For more South Metro Manila community news and developments, come back here soon. Also say NO to fake news, NO to irresponsible journalism, NO to misinformation, NO to plagiarists, NO to reckless publishers and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments. For South Metro Manila community developments, member engagement, commerce and other relevant updates, join the growing South Metro Manila Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/342183059992673