He argued that Indonesia ’s steady growth, which is above 5% annually over the past decade, inflation at around 2%, and a deficit below 3% of GDP, reflects deliberate choices.

“Peace and stability in my country did not happen by chance or by luck; it happened because we chose unity over fragmentation and collaboration over confrontation,” he said.

$1 trillion sovereign wealth bet

A major highlight of his speech was the launch of Danantara Indonesia, a sovereign wealth fund with $1 trillion in assets under management. “Danantara means the energy to power the future of Indonesia, and it is designed to finance and co-finance the industries of the future that will transform our economy,” Prabowo explained.

He pledged to overhaul the country’s vast network of state-owned enterprises to meet the highest international standards, adding that foreign professionals would be allowed to lead firms where necessary to attract “the best brains and the best minds in the world.”

Framing Indonesia as a co-investment partner rather than a passive recipient of capital, he declared: “With Danantara, Indonesia can now stand before you as an equal partner, ready to grow with you and create shared prosperity.”

Social policy as economic strategy

Prabowo described Indonesia’s large-scale social programmes as economic investments rather than political gestures. On the nationwide free nutritious meals programme serving nearly 60 million people daily, he said: “This is not a populist programme. It is a rational productivity programme that strengthens our children, supports our small enterprises and improves the long-term health of our nation.”

The initiative has incorporated more than 61,000 micro, small and medium enterprises into its supply chain. “By strengthening human capital and empowering our small businesses, we are laying the foundation for growth that is inclusive and sustainable,” he said.

On education, he underscored efforts to break generational poverty through new boarding schools and digital upgrades. “I am determined to cut the chain of poverty so that the son of a poor farmer or street vendor will not be condemned to the same fate, but will have equal opportunity to rise,” Prabowo stated.

Rule of law and anti-corruption drive

He also argued that legal certainty is central to investor confidence. “There is no investment climate without the certainty of equitable rule of law, because no serious investor will commit capital in a country where laws are ignored or selectively applied,” he said.

In his first year, the government confiscated millions of hectares of illegal plantations and mines and shut down around 1,000 illegal mining operations. Describing entrenched corruption as “greedonomics,” he said: “We cannot allow the economics of greed and rapacious practices to undermine our democracy , our environment and the future of our children.”

He added a direct warning to corrupt actors: “I challenge anyone who believes that Indonesian officials can be bought to test that assumption under my administration, because they will find that we are serious about clean government.”

Trade, integration and the Global South

Prabowo rejected protectionism and reaffirmed Indonesia’s commitment to fair trade integration. “We do not pursue trade agreements because they are fashionable, but because we believe fair integration into the global economy is a tool for prosperity and not a threat to sovereignty,” he said.

On Indonesia’s foreign policy posture, he said: “Indonesia chooses peace over chaos, friendship over enmity, and we believe that one thousand friends are too few while one enemy is one too many.”

Indonesia is preparing to host an Ocean Impact Summit in Bali, and Prabowo was confident that Indonesia aims to play a more assertive role from within the Global South.

Watch the full speech here: 

Footage filmed by Viory shows local tour guide and environmental advocate Bonifacio Jomio snorkelling through the reef, searching for the starfish before injecting them with coconut vinegar. The method, carried out by hand, is part of a local effort to slow the damage and protect what remains of the coral ecosystem.

Jomio said the reefs were in far better condition before Typhoon Odette, internationally known as Rai. Since then, he explained, growing corals have increasingly been eaten and killed, prompting him to act in order to support both the marine environment and the coastal community that depends on it.

He described the use of coconut vinegar as a crucial alternative to chemical solutions. According to Jomio, the organic substance is fatal to the Crown-of-Thorns Starfish but does not harm other marine species, allowing interventions to be carried out without further damaging the reef.

Restoring coral reefs is essential for sustaining fish populations, Jomio said, as healthy corals provide breeding grounds for many species. He noted that the recovery process is slow, making protection efforts all the more urgent.

Despite the challenges, Jomio said his work is driven by a desire to preserve the reefs for future generations. His actions have attracted attention online, drawing praise from viewers while also prompting calls for wider institutional support to address the scale of the crisis.

His portfolio included high-end hotels, ambitious property developments, and a collection of London estates reportedly worth over $130 million. To the public, Chen was a symbol of modern Asian entrepreneurship and a man who built billions through luxury and innovation.

But that narrative has collapsed.

In October 2025, the United States and the United Kingdom jointly launched one of the largest cybercrime crackdowns in history, accusing Chen and his associates of running a transnational criminal network that profited from human trafficking, online scams, and crypto fraud.

More than 146 individuals and companies were sanctioned, and assets worth billions, including real estate and digital currencies , were frozen. Investigators traced the flow of money from fake job ads, romance scams, and crypto schemes back to Chen’s network in Cambodia and beyond.

Authorities allege that behind the façade of luxury developments and high-finance operations lies a vast web of “scam compounds” across Southeast Asia. Trafficked workers from across the region were forced to run online fraud under threats of violence, generating billions of dollars in illicit profits.

Vice President Sara Duterte has returned to the Philippines after a diplomatic visit to Malaysia, where she engaged with officials to strengthen bilateral relations. The discussions focused on trade, security, and cultural exchange, underscoring efforts to deepen cooperation between the two Southeast Asian nations. The visit reaffirms the Philippines' commitment to regional stability and economic collaboration.

Philippine envoy in Pakistan hopes for stronger future cooperation

Philippine Ambassador to Pakistan, Dr. Emmanuel R. Fernandez, has emphasised the increasing interaction between the citizens of both countries and expressed optimism about enhanced bilateral cooperation. Speaking as the chief guest at the 127th Philippine National Day celebration hosted by Honorary Consul General Dr. Imran Yousuf in Karachi, Ambassador Fernandez noted the longstanding ties between the two nations in trade, education, culture, and people-to-people exchanges.

Philippines renews bid for UN Security Council seat

The Philippines has renewed its campaign for a non-permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council, with Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo highlighting the country's record as a "pathfinder and peacemaker." Speaking at the Philippine Independence Day celebration in New York, attended by over 300 diplomats and guests, Manalo emphasised the country's historic role as Asia’s first republic and its commitment to equality among nations, multilateralism, and global peace.

Philippines deepens ties with Italy

The Philippines is strengthening its relationship with Italy as part of broader efforts to enhance cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region, according to Philippine Ambassador to Italy Nathaniel Imperial. On the occasion of the 127th Philippine Independence Day celebration in Rome, Ambassador Imperial highlighted the progress in bilateral relations, citing Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo’s official visit to Italy last year at the invitation of Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani. The ambassador emphasised growing collaboration in key areas such as defence, trade, investment, tourism, and labour.

Philippines boosts investor support to strengthen economic appeal

The Philippines is stepping up efforts to attract more local and foreign investment, with the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) directed to prioritise services for investors in line with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s economic agenda. BIR Commissioner Romeo Lumagui Jr. announced that all BIR offices have been instructed to assist and prioritise investors, particularly those involved in strategic investments under the Investment Facilitation Network.

This landmark legislation acknowledges marriage registrations of same-sex partners aged 18 and above, guaranteeing them rights to inheritance, tax benefits, and child adoption, among other privileges.

Reacting to the senators' affirmative vote, LGBTQ gender rights activist Waaddao Chumaporn expressed elation , stating, "It's as if we have received the greatest gift since I've been pushing for 12 years."

Following this development, the upper house established a 27-member committee comprising senators, civil society representatives, and ministers to meticulously review the bill.

A subsequent vote is anticipated in July when the parliament reconvenes after a scheduled recess starting in mid-April.

Earlier, lawmakers in Thailand's lower house overwhelmingly endorsed the marriage equality bill on March 27, positioning the nation on the brink of pioneering equal rights for marriage partners of any gender in Southeast Asia.

Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin hailed the achievement as a societal consensus towards building an egalitarian society devoid of discrimination, particularly in gender and family formation.

“I consider this success to be the consensus of Thai society. to work together to create a society of equality that does not discriminate Especially gender and family formation, which are basic human rights that the state should guarantee,” he wrote on social media platform X following the lower house vote on March 27.

The bill, which garnered approval from 400 out of 415 attending members of the House of Representatives in its final reading, with 10 against, 2 abstentions, and three not voting, had previously seen significant support with all but 11 of 380 Thai lawmakers passing four draft bills on same-sex marriage in their first reading in December 2023.

In the event of Senate rejection, the lower house retains the option to initiate a fresh round of votes to pass the bill without Senate endorsement. The legislation is slated to come into effect 120 days after its publication in the Royal Gazette, following parliamentary approvals and royal assent.

Upon final approval, Thailand will join the ranks of Taiwan and Nepal, emerging as the third location in Asia to formally recognise same-sex marriage.

A report published in the online edition of the daily, Manila Bulletin said Antonio Bilan was walking along a street in the village of Balading in the town of Malinao last November 22 when he saw a bundle of cash.

“It was around 4 p.m. when he found the money on the road. There were many hundred-peso bills, also P50 bills (approximately $.92) and P20 (approx.$.36). He turned them over to the police,” Police Major Christian Brual, chief of Malinao Municipal Police Station quoted as saying in the report.

According to Brual, Bilan stated that he discovered the money strewn across the road.

“It was as if the money fell from someone's pocket. Bilan picked them all up and turned the money over to us. There were no identification cards that would lead us to the owner.”

In the Philippines, the minimum daily wage is around P570, approximately $10. Informal workers like Bilan often receive compensation below the minimum wage and typically lack welfare benefits.

“We are really proud of him because, despite the fact that he earns a pittance, he was not tempted at all to just keep the money to himself. He told us that he could not, in his conscience, get the money as it might be needed more by the person who lost it. He also told us that maybe the money could be a lifesaver for someone. So on Monday, we will honor his honesty and give him a little help,” said Brual.

Brual commended Bilan's extraordinary honesty and announced that he would be honored and invited to participate in the routine flag-raising ceremonies for municipal workers.

The police officer expressed optimism that Bilan's integrity would serve as a source of inspiration not only for the residents of Malinao and the province of Albay but also for the entire nation.