March 24, 2025: In January, five Chinese citizens were arrested and accused of spying for China. The men were detected around several naval and Coast Guard bases, where they posed as tourists taking photographs. It remains unclear whether they were working directly for Chinese intelligence or freelancing in hopes of delivering helpful information to the Chinese government.

The suspects also used quadcopter drones to capture images, which led to their arrest after locals reported the suspicious activity to police. The five belonged to the Qiaoxing Volunteer Group of the Philippines and the Philippine China Association of Promotion of Peace and Friendship. These organizations promote improved relations between China and the Philippines.

In 2024, Filipino police discovered Chinese-made drones in various parts of the country. In early 2025, a Chinese naval drone was found in the South China Sea. Chinese intelligence has much to observe in the Philippines, as 2024 saw numerous infrastructure improvements, including new roads and upgrades to airports and shipping facilities, after decades of minimal development. These differences were noticeable to most Filipinos.

Significant challenges remain, including high unemployment and inflation. Due to economic stagnation, the Filipino peso has lost value against the dollar. Territorial disputes with China in the South China Sea remain unresolved. In 2024, these tensions led to dozens of Filipino and Chinese warships confronting each other, resulting in some violence and minor injuries.

Internal security has improved. After decades of effort, the government has reduced or eliminated leftist and Islamic rebellions. Most Filipinos are now more concerned about endemic corruption, widespread drug addiction, and the resulting economic crisis than about these insurgencies. While China's naval presence in traditionally Filipino waters represents a growing threat, most citizens view domestic issues like drugs, corruption, Islamic terrorism, and unemployment as more pressing. Since his election in 2016, President Rodrigo Duterte addressed these concerns by reducing crime and drug violence.

Duterte was succeeded by Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in 2022. The new president continued his predecessor's policies, including maintaining the peace agreement with Muslim separatists in the south and further diminishing leftist rebel movements. The Muslim minority, led by the separatist MILF organization, retained its autonomy agreement, which prevented efforts to expel non-Muslims with the condition that MILF help destroy Abu Sayyaf, the ultra-radical Islamic terrorist group responsible for most kidnappings and bombings in the region.

Some MILF factions rejected the peace deal and, along with Abu Sayyaf, aligned with ISIL. Abu Sayyaf has integrated itself with the local clan culture, making eliminating it difficult. Muslim communities continue to experience clan feuds and internal violence that will persist despite the autonomy agreement. By 2023, both Islamic terrorists and communist rebels had become much less active due to declining numbers and reduced popular support. The government received record-high approval ratings from voters, even as local and foreign critics accused it of human rights violations.