Mara Cepeda
Philippines Correspondent
Mara is Philippines correspondent at The Straits Times and a journalism lecturer at the University of the Philippines Diliman. She specialises in stories on politics, diplomacy, and defence and security. She joined ST in 2022 after working for seven years as a political reporter for Rappler. She is a fellow of the NUS-IPS and Temasek Foundation’s Asia Journalism Fellowship and the United Nations’ Reham al-Farra Memorial Journalism Fellowship.
Latest articles
Impeachment bid against Marcos unlikely to succeed but could still hurt him, say analysts
Philippine fast-food giant Jollibee eyes global expansion with planned US listing
Growing unease in Asia-Pacific as US strike on Venezuela challenges rules-based order
‘More hassle than fun’: Philippines struggles to draw tourists as it lags regional peers in arrivals
10 questions on what 2026 holds for Asia
Bondi shooting puts gunmen’s Philippines trip under scrutiny, but training claims remain unproven
Seized buildings, other assets linked to Marcos dictatorship’s corruption fall into neglect
Manila’s turn towards Seoul to bolster defence versus China reflects shifting security framework
Marcos at his weakest in his presidency, as he fights fires amid flood-control scandal
My local eatery’s Michelin moment: Not just prestige but brighter future for owner’s family
