Almost Paradise (TV series)
{{short description|American crime drama TV series (2020– )}}
{{Use American English|date=January 2023}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2023}}
{{Infobox television
| genre = Crime drama
| creator = Dean Devlin & Gary Rosen
| starring = {{Plainlist|
- Christian Kane
- Samantha Richelle
- Arthur Acuña
- Nonie Buencamino
- Ces Quesada
}}
| theme_music_composer = Fred Coury
| country = {{Plainlist|
- United States
- Philippines
}}
| language = {{Plainlist|
- English
- Filipino
- Cebuano
}}
| num_seasons = 2
| num_episodes = 20
| executive_producer = {{Plainlist|
- Dean Devlin
- Gary Rosen
- Marc Roskin
- Rachel Olschan-Wilson
}}
| location = Mactan, Cebu, Philippines and New Zealand
| editor =
| camera =
| runtime = 45 minutes
| company = {{Plainlist|
- Electric Entertainment
- ABS-CBN Studios (Season 1)
- Arcade Film Factory (Season 2)
}}
| network = WGN America
| first_aired = {{Start date|2020|03|30}}
| last_aired = {{End date|2020|06|01}}
| network2 = Amazon Freevee
| first_aired2 = {{Start date|2023|07|21}}
| last_aired2 =
| related =
}}
Almost Paradise is a Filipino-American crime drama television series created by Dean Devlin and Gary Rosen. Starring Christian Kane, Samantha Richelle, Arthur Acuña, Nonie Buencamino, Ces Quesada, and Sophia Reola, the series follows a former DEA agent-turned American expat in Cebu, Philippines, as he balances his work running a gift shop at a resort hotel in Mactan with assisting the local police department in investigating crimes.
The series premiered March 30, 2020 on WGN America; it was the first American television series to be filmed entirely in the Philippines, with ABS-CBN Studios serving as a co-production partner on the first season. The series was later acquired by Amazon Freevee, who subsequently ordered a second season in February 2022; all ten episodes were released on July 21, 2023. In April 2025, the series was cancelled by Amazon after two seasons, although Devlin states that he intends to shop it to other broadcasters.{{cite web|url=https://www.tvinsider.com/1184890/almost-paradise-canceled-amazon-freevee-season-3-saved-new-home/|title=‘Almost Paradise’ Canceled: Dean Devlin Says ‘We’re Looking for a New Home’|last=Jacobs|first=Meredith|date=April 11, 2025|work=TV Insider|access-date=April 11, 2025}}
Premise
Former DEA agent Alex Walker (Christian Kane), forced into retirement, moves to the island of Mactan in the Philippines. He purchases a gift shop at the Paradise hotel in the hope of managing his stress and high blood pressure, but the criminal activity on the island keep drawing him back into law enforcement. Alex struggles to balance his time running his gift shop, which is worn down and in extensive need of repairs and upgrades, with solving various high profile crimes that threaten the island and its residents, often working alongside Mactan Police detective Kai Mendoza, her partner Ernesto Alamares, and Chief Ike Ocampo.
Cast
=Main=
- Christian Kane as Alex Walker, a former DEA agent who moves to the Philippines following a forced retirement due to medical issues. He buys a gift shop at an upscale resort but also lends his expertise to the Mactan Police Department from time to time.{{cite web |last=Pederson |first=Erik |title='Almost Paradise': WGN America Drama Rounds Out Cast As Production Begins |url=https://deadline.com/2019/11/almost-paradise-cast-wgn-america-samantha-richelle-arthur-acuna-nonie-buencamino-ces-quesada-1202783062/ |website=Deadline Hollywood |date=November 11, 2019 |access-date=March 9, 2020}}
- Samantha Richelle as Detective Kai Mendoza, a detective with the Mactan Police who often works with Alex. The two often clash over how to handle a case but a deep friendship bordering on attraction develops between the two.
- AC Bonifacio as teenage Kai.
- Arthur Acuña as Ernesto Alamares, Kai's partner. He, like Kai, is often irritated by Alex's methods but the two develop a deep respect and friendship. He has a very calm demeanor.
- Nonie Buencamino as Ike Ocampo, chief of the Mactan Police Department and Kai and Ernesto's boss. He is quick to take credit with the press for the cases that Alex helps to solve.
- Ces Quesada as Cory Santos (season 1), the manager of the hotel and Alex's de facto landlady as, while Alex owns the gift shop, his utilities come from the resort. She initially acts hostile towards Alex but it is shown that she does have a certain fondness for him.
- Sophia Reola as Rita Cordero, daughter of one of the resort employees. Alex befriends her after her father is murdered. After Alex helps solve the case, he hires Rita to help out at the gift shop.
===Supporting===
- Raymond Bagatsing as Detective Cesar Rabara (season 1)
- Angeli Bayani as Dr. Sara Patel
- Zeppi Borromeo as Face Tats
- Elijah Canlas as Luke
- Max Collins as Ann Villegas (season 2)
- Lotlot De Leon as Gloria Bautista
- Will Devaughn as Jimmy Teo
- Annicka Dolonius as Jessa Torres
- Ryan Eigenmann as El Diablo
- Sol Eugenio as Shanghai Triad Henchman
- Ketchup Eusebio as Julio Torres
- Jaime Fabregas as Fr. Christo (season 2)
- Jay Gonzaga as Hotel Clerk
- Zaijian Jaranilla as Teenager
- Michael Roy Jornales as Big Bones
- Boom Labrusca
- Chanel Latorre as Sampaguita
- Guji Lorenzana as Lester Cordero
- Shaina Magdayao as Maria Manalo (season 2)
- Sandino Martin as Kidlat Luzon
- Zsa Zsa Padilla as Gov. Nina Rosales
- Miko Raval as Tongo
- Eric Tai as Stretch
- Jared Turner as Todd Carpenter
- Nikki Valdez as Pilar Cordero
- Richard Yap
Episodes
=Series overview=
{{Series overview
| color1 = #000000
| link1 = #Season 1 (2020)
| episodes1 = 10
| start1 = {{Start date|2020|03|30}}
| end1 = {{End date|2020|06|01}}
| network1 = WGN America
| color2 = #BCC9D2
| link2 = #Season 2 (2023)
| episodes2 = 10
| released2 = {{Start date|2023|07|21}}
| network2 = Amazon Freevee
}}
=Season 1 (2020)=
{{Episode table |background=#000000 |overall= |title= |director= |writer= |airdate= |country=U.S. |viewers= |episodes=
{{Episode list
|EpisodeNumber = 1
|Title = Finding Mabuhay
|DirectedBy = Marc Roskin
|WrittenBy = Dean Devlin & Gary Rosen
|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2020|03|30}}
|ShortSummary = After being betrayed by his ex-partner, ex-DEA agent Alex Walker moves to an island in the Philippines for his health. Despite his doctor's orders, he falls back into his undercover ways to help the local police with a drug sting operation.
|LineColor = 000000
}}
{{Episode list
|EpisodeNumber = 2
|Title = It's Personal
|DirectedBy = Marc Roskin
|WrittenBy = Dean Devlin
|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2020|04|06}}
|ShortSummary = The body of Ernesto's friend washes up on shore. Alex goes undercover with Kai to catch smugglers while Ernesto tracks down the murderer.
|LineColor = 000000
}}
{{Episode list
|EpisodeNumber = 3
|Title = Reef Eel Soup for the Soul
|DirectedBy = Francis Dela Torre
|WrittenBy = Ty Freer & Nick Keetch
|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2020|04|13}}
|ShortSummary = Alex goes undercover to stop mobsters from shaking down local street food vendors and discovers that the situation is far worse than he expected.
|LineColor = 000000
}}
{{Episode list
|EpisodeNumber = 4
|Title = Pistol Whip
|DirectedBy = Dan Villegas
|WrittenBy = Calvin Sloan
|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2020|04|20}}
|ShortSummary = A reality TV show crew arrives to explore sunken World War II battlegrounds and Alex gets involved in an illicit diving operation.
|LineColor = 000000
}}
{{Episode list
|EpisodeNumber = 5
|Title = Unbecalming
|DirectedBy = Milan Todorovic
|WrittenBy = Kerry Glover
|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2020|04|27}}
|ShortSummary = Alex has to find a way to help his friends as well as a US State Department bureaucrat there to work with an arms dealer when a typhoon hits the islands and the arms dealer's men---who infiltrated as a rowdy sports team arrested for disorderly conduct---take them hostage.
|LineColor = 000000
}}
{{Episode list
|EpisodeNumber = 6
|Title = Rise of the Kalangay
|DirectedBy = Hannah Espia-Farbova
|WrittenBy = Sean Presant
|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2020|05|04}}
|ShortSummary = Alex works to solve a murder before a celebrated detective does, but things tie back to the murder of Kai's mother, fifteen years earlier.
|LineColor = 000000
}}
{{Episode list
|EpisodeNumber = 7
|Title = Uncle Danny
|DirectedBy = Francis Dela Torre
|WrittenBy = Gary Rosen
|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2020|05|11}}
|ShortSummary = Uncle Danny, Alex's con-artist relative, comes to the island and Alex is caught between protecting Danny from the police and mafia... and protecting the island from his uncle.
|LineColor = 000000
}}
{{Episode list
|EpisodeNumber = 8
|Title = Lone Wolf
|DirectedBy = Irene Emma Villamore
|WrittenBy = Ty Freer & Nick Keetch
|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2020|05|18}}
|ShortSummary = When Alex' favourite country singer comes to town, Alex takes a job protecting him. The singer is kidnapped and Alex has to figure out who is behind the crime.
|LineColor = 000000
}}
{{Episode list
|EpisodeNumber = 9
|Title = A Wedding to Die For
|DirectedBy = Hannah Espia-Farbova
|WrittenBy = Calvin Sloan
|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2020|05|25}}
|Viewers = 0.210{{cite web
|url=http://www.showbuzzdaily.com/articles/showbuzzdailys-top-150-monday-cable-originals-network-finals-5-25-2020.html
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200529091529/http://www.showbuzzdaily.com/articles/showbuzzdailys-top-150-monday-cable-originals-network-finals-5-25-2020.html
|url-status=dead
|archive-date=May 29, 2020
|title=UPDATED: SHOWBUZZDAILY's Top 150 Monday Cable Originals & Network Finals
|last=Metcalf
|first=Mitch
|date=May 25, 2020
|work=Showbuzz Daily
|access-date=May 25, 2020
}}
|ShortSummary = Kai goes undercover at a triad boss wedding. Alex gets dragged into things when a wedding party member is murdered.
|LineColor = 000000
}}
{{Episode list
|EpisodeNumber = 10
|Title = Something Walker This Way Comes
|DirectedBy = Dean Devlin
|WrittenBy = Sean Presant
|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2020|06|01}}
|ShortSummary = Alex's daughter and old partner both show up on the island, and Alex must protect his daughter from his ex-partner.
|LineColor = 000000
}}
}}
=Season 2 (2023)=
{{Episode table |background=#BCC9D2 |overall= |season= |title= |director= |writer= |airdate= |airdateR={{cite web |title=Shows A-Z – Almost Paradise on Freevee |url=http://www.thefutoncritic.com/showatch/almost-paradise/listings/ |website=The Futon Critic |accessdate=July 11, 2023}} |episodes=
{{Episode list
|EpisodeNumber = 11
|EpisodeNumber2 = 1
|Title = The Magellan Cross
|DirectedBy = Dean Devlin
|WrittenBy = Dean Devlin & Gary Rosen
|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2023|07|21}}
|ShortSummary = When a local priest is murdered over a long-lost ancient cross, Alex, Kai and Ernesto must solve the priest's murder.
|LineColor = BCC9D2
}}
{{Episode list
|EpisodeNumber = 12
|EpisodeNumber2 = 2
|Title = Badminton
|DirectedBy = Gary L. Camp
|WrittenBy = Marco Schnabel
|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2023|07|21}}
|ShortSummary = When Alex's friend from the local gym is found murdered, Alex investigates and discover that his friend was involved in an underground badminton competition. Alex and Ernesto must go undercover as badminton players to solve the murder.
|LineColor = BCC9D2
}}
{{Episode list
|EpisodeNumber = 13
|EpisodeNumber2 = 3
|Title = A Fisherfolk Tale
|DirectedBy = Dan Villegas
|WrittenBy = Calvin Sloan
|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2023|07|21}}
|ShortSummary = Alex befriends a boat mechanic who was wrongfully accused of murder in a remote fishing village.
|LineColor = BCC9D2
}}
{{Episode list
|EpisodeNumber = 14
|EpisodeNumber2 = 4
|Title = Bahala Na
|DirectedBy = Dan Villegas
|WrittenBy = Calvin Sloan
|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2023|07|21}}
|ShortSummary = Alex temporarily moves in with Ernesto and is drawn into a generation-spanning family drama.
|LineColor = BCC9D2
}}
{{Episode list
|EpisodeNumber = 15
|EpisodeNumber2 = 5
|Title = Deus Ex-Wife Machina
|DirectedBy = Francis dela Torre
|WrittenBy = Sean Presant
|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2023|07|21}}
|ShortSummary = Alex's ex-wife shows up with her new fiancé, asking Alex to sign her divorce papers---which leads to the fiancé's kidnapping by a crime lord whose hired hands mistake him for Alex.
|LineColor = BCC9D2
}}
{{Episode list
|EpisodeNumber = 16
|EpisodeNumber2 = 6
|Title = Ghost Month
|DirectedBy = Irene Villamor
|WrittenBy = James Wong
|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2023|07|21}}
|ShortSummary = During the traditional "Ghost Month" in the Philippines, Alex is seemingly visited by the spirit of a dead man who was wrongfully accused of a crime and seeks justice.
|LineColor = BCC9D2
}}
{{Episode list
|EpisodeNumber = 17
|EpisodeNumber2 = 7
|Title = All In
|DirectedBy = Irene Villamor
|WrittenBy = Kristen Cloke, Glen Morgan
|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2023|07|21}}
|ShortSummary = Before the grand opening of Mactan's new resort casino, owned by the Villegas family, Ann Villegas recruits Alex to test the casino's security system.
|LineColor = BCC9D2
}}
{{Episode list
|EpisodeNumber = 18
|EpisodeNumber2 = 8
|Title = Uncoupled
|DirectedBy = Hannah Espia
|WrittenBy = Kerry Glover
|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2023|07|21}}
|ShortSummary = Kai and Alex go undercover at a self-help retreat in order to extract a naïve young woman from what is really a cult.
|LineColor = BCC9D2
}}
{{Episode list
|EpisodeNumber = 19
|EpisodeNumber2 = 9
|Title = Old Times
|DirectedBy = Marc Roskin
|WrittenBy = Calvin Sloan
|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2023|07|21}}
|ShortSummary = When Alex becomes entangled in a homicide investigation, he is forced to befriend an older couple with peculiar personality traits.
|LineColor = BCC9D2
}}
{{Episode list
|EpisodeNumber = 20
|EpisodeNumber2 = 10
|Title = Brigade
|DirectedBy = Francis dela Torre
|WrittenBy = Sean Presant
|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2023|07|21}}
|ShortSummary = Alex goes undercover as a prisoner and, with the help of Kai and Ernesto, figures out how The Waterboarder has been running his criminal empire from behind bars.
|LineColor = BCC9D2
}}
}}
Production
Almost Paradise was the first American television series to be filmed entirely in the Philippines;{{cite web |last=Ramos |first=Dino-Ray |date=March 30, 2020 |title='Almost Paradise's Dean Devlin Goes Back To His Roots With First-Ever American TV Series Shot In The Philippines |url=https://deadline.com/2020/03/almost-paradise-dean-delvin-wgn-filipino-asian-american-samantha-richelle-christian-kane-1202893619/ |access-date=May 17, 2020 |website=Deadline Hollywood}} creator Dean Devlin stated that the series was inspired by a local news story he saw while on a honeymoon in Hawaii, but felt it would be more "authentic" to set it in the Philippines due to his heritage.{{Cite web |last=Ramos |first=Dino-Ray |date=2020-03-30 |title=‘Almost Paradise’s Dean Devlin Goes Back To His Roots With First-Ever American TV Series Shot In The Philippines |url=https://deadline.com/2020/03/almost-paradise-dean-delvin-wgn-filipino-asian-american-samantha-richelle-christian-kane-1202893619/ |access-date=2025-04-09 |website=Deadline |language=en-US}} He aimed to avoid local issues such as Filipino politics and poverty, explaining that "to be able to bring things from the culture — the looks, the costumes, the traditions — and put that seamlessly in a very American show, one of the goals here is not to say that Filipinos are the other. The goal is to say Filipinos are us and we're all part of the same beautiful community."
The series received a 10-episode order from WGN America in April 2019.{{Cite web |last=Petski |first=Denise |date=2019-04-01 |title=WGN America Acquires ‘Almost Paradise’ Drama Series From Electric Entertainment |url=https://deadline.com/2019/04/wgn-america-acquires-almost-paradise-drama-series-electric-entertainment-1202586432/ |access-date=2025-04-09 |website=Deadline |language=en-US}} Production for season 1 began at Bigfoot Studios in Cebu in November 2019, as a co-production with ABS-CBN Studios.{{Cite web |date=2020-03-30 |title=Fil-Am director Dean Devlin’s ‘Almost Paradise’ is the first-ever American TV series shot in the Philippines |url=https://asianjournal.com/entertainment/showbiz/fil-am-director-dean-devlins-almost-paradise-is-the-first-ever-american-tv-series-shot-in-the-philippines/ |access-date=2025-04-09 |website=Asian Journal News |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Tomada |first=Nathalie |title=ABS-CBN sets sights on global audiences via international productions, co-prods |url=https://www.philstar.com/entertainment/2022/03/03/2164450/abs-cbn-sets-sights-global-audiences-international-productions-co-prods |access-date=2025-04-09 |website=Philstar.com}} Filming wrapped only 18 hours before COVID-19 pandemic travel restrictions took effect in the country—a circumstance that Devlin compared to "trying to get the last helicopter out" during the fall of Saigon.{{Cite web |last=Pedersen |first=Erik |date=2019-11-11 |title=‘Almost Paradise’: WGN America Drama Rounds Out Cast As Production Begins |url=https://deadline.com/2019/11/almost-paradise-cast-wgn-america-samantha-richelle-arthur-acuna-nonie-buencamino-ces-quesada-1202783062/ |access-date=2025-04-09 |website=Deadline |language=en-US}}
In June 2020, amid plans for it to be converted to a cable news channel, Devlin revealed that WGN America had not renewed the series. However, he also stated that Electric Entertainment was nearing an agreement with an unspecified streaming service to pick up the first season, and gauge interest in ordering a second season.{{Cite web |last=Kimball |first=Trevor |date=2020-06-04 |title=Almost Paradise: Season Two? Series Not Returning to WGN America But ... |url=https://tvseriesfinale.com/tv-show/almost-paradise-season-two-series-not-returning-to-wgn-america-but/ |access-date=2025-04-09 |website=canceled + renewed TV shows, ratings - TV Series Finale |language=en-US}} On January 19, 2021, Amazon announced that it had acquired the first season of Almost Paradise, and that it would be added to its free ad-supported streaming television (FAST) platform IMDb TV (now Amazon Freevee) beginning February 1.{{Cite news |date=January 19, 2021 |title=Amazon's AVOD streamer IMDb TV visits 'Almost Paradise' with Electric Entertainment |url=https://tbivision.com/2021/01/19/amazons-avod-streamer-imdb-tv-visits-almost-paradise-with-electric-entertainment/ |access-date=January 19, 2021 |website=TBI Vision}} On February 8, 2022, Amazon announced that it had ordered a second season.{{cite web |last=Petski |first=Denise |title='Almost Paradise' Renewed For Season 2 By IMDb TV |url=https://deadline.com/2022/02/almost-paradise-renewed-season-2-imdb-tv-1234928702/ |website=Deadline |access-date=February 8, 2022 |date=February 8, 2022}} ABS-CBN was replaced as production partner by Arcade Film Factory.{{Cite web |date=July 25, 2023 |title=Arcade Film Factory reveals its producer role in season 2 of Filipino-American crime drama Almost Paradise |url=https://www.adobomagazine.com/entertainment/arcade-film-factory-reveals-its-producer-role-in-season-2-of-filipino-american-crime-drama-almost-paradise |access-date=August 5, 2023 |website=Adobo Magazine}}{{Cite web |last=Nemetz |first=Dave |date=2025-04-05 |title=Almost Paradise Cancelled After 2 Seasons |url=https://tvline.com/news/almost-paradise-cancelled-amazon-freevee-christian-kane-1235429017/ |access-date=2025-04-09 |website=TVLine |language=en-US}}
Producer Francis dela Torre stated that although Amazon was interested in renewing Almost Paradise for a third season, the series could not continue production in the Philippines due to high production costs and other "inefficiencies", which had caused season 2 to go over its budget. He cited the higher fees for location filming, equipment, and crews, and tax rebates for international co-productions being capped at US$200,000 (in contrast to other countries in Southeast Asia such as Thailand, where these are uncapped); US$8 million had been spent on the local economy during the production of season 1.{{cite news |last1=Nepales |first1=Ruben |date=31 March 2025 |title=Hollywood-Manila bridge: How to lure international productions to film in PH? |url=https://www.rappler.com/entertainment/movies/how-lure-international-productions-film-philippines/ |access-date=31 March 2025 |work=Rappler}}
On April 5, 2025, it was reported that Amazon had cancelled Almost Paradise after two seasons; Devlin stated that he was planning to shop the series to other outlets, adding that "I've never had a show that was this successful and yet couldn't stay at the same place more than one season."
Release
On January 19, 2020, the first trailer was released along with the announcement that the series would premiere on March 30, 2020.{{cite web |last1=Jacobs |first1=Meredith |date=January 19, 2020 |title=Christian Kane Is Trying to Avoid Stress in 'Almost Paradise' (VIDEO) |url=https://www.tvinsider.com/849890/christian-kane-almost-paradise-wgn-america-preview/ |access-date=March 9, 2020 |website=TV Insider}}
In the Philippines, the series aired in a Filipino dub via Kapamilya Channel's Yes Weekend Sunday primetime block, Kapamilya Online Live and A2Z from March 21 to May 23, 2021, replacing Pinoy Big Brother: Connect and was replaced by the first season of He's Into Her.{{Cite web|date=December 21, 2020|title='Together as One in 2021': Here are ABS-CBN's upcoming shows, offerings|url=https://news.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/12/21/20/together-as-one-in-here-are-abs-cbns-upcoming-shows-offerings|access-date=December 29, 2020|website=ABS-CBN News|language=en}}{{Dead link|date=August 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} On April 9, 2021, the original version was released on iWantTFC. The series re-aired the dubbed Season 1 from January 7 to February 5, 2023 replacing Maalaala Mo Kaya and Click, Like, Share.
On February 8, 2022, Amazon announced that it had ordered a second season,{{cite news |last1=Chapman |first1=Wilson |title=IMDB TV Renews ‘Almost Paradise’ for Season 2; HBO Max Unveils Premiere Date for ‘Tokyo Vice’ |url=https://variety.com/2022/tv/news/imdb-tv-almost-paradise-1235174946/ |access-date=23 August 2023 |publisher=Variety |date=8 February 2022}} with all ten episodes premiering on Amazon Freevee on July 21, 2023.{{Cite web |last=Mitovich |first=Matt Webb |date=June 12, 2023 |title=Almost Paradise Season 2: Get Freevee Release Date for Christian Kane Series, View Trailer and Poster (Exclusive) |url=https://tvline.com/trailers/almost-paradise-season-2-release-date-trailer-poster-freevee-1234998795/ |access-date=2025-04-08 |website=TVLine}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{IMDb title}}
{{NewsNation}}
{{IMDB TV original programming}}
Category:2020 American television series debuts
Category:2020s American crime drama television series
Category:2021 Philippine television series debuts
Category:2023 American television series endings
Category:2023 Philippine television series endings
Category:Amazon Freevee original programming
Category:Kapamilya Channel original programming
Category:Philippine crime drama television series
Category:Television shows filmed in the Philippines