Manila  - Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo has signed into law a bill defining the country's territorial boundaries and laying claim to disputed areas in the South China Sea, a top aide said Wednesday.

Presidential Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita said Arroyo signed the Baselines Law on Tuesday despite a strong protest by China over the measure.

"We are sending the message to the whole world that we are affirming our national sovereignty," Ermita said. "We are affirming our national interest."

Manila - Germany has offered to write off 25 million euros in debts by the Philippines to fund health projects to fight HIV/AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis, an official said Tuesday.

Socio-Economic Planning Secretary Ralph Recto said the proposed debt swap was recently discussed with him by Josef Fullenbach, head of the South-East Asian unit of the Germany Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development.

Manila - The Philippines will revive its bid for an observer seat in the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) six years after its application was rejected by the
57-nation group, a senior official said Tuesday.

Foreign Undersecretary Rafael Seguis said the government would make another pitch during an OIC foreign ministers' meeting in Damascus, Syria in May.

"We are working against all possible odds, but we will apply again for an observer status in the OIC. We'll see what will happen," Seguis said.

London, March 10: Activists in the Philippines have rescued what they believe might be the world''s smallest living whale shark in recorded history.

According to a report in Telegraph, maritime officials and activists in Pilar, a town in the eastern Philippines, rescued the 15-inch-long whale shark last week and released it in deep waters.

Its tail was tied to a small rope on a beach.

WWF said the discovery is the first ever indication that this coastline may be their birthing ground.

Zamboanga City, Philippines  - Police recovered six homemade bombs placed in different areas in a southern Philippine city, a police official said Tuesday.

The improvised explosive devices were defused after they were recovered Monday in Zamboanga City, 875 kilometres south of Manila, according to city police chief Senior Superintendent Mario Yanga.

Yanga said two bombs were recovered outside the residence of Congressman Mujiv Hataman while four more bombs were recovered near his office.

Manila  - Philippine merchandise exports contracted 41 per cent in January as demand slowed down amid the global financial crisis, the government said Tuesday.

The National Statistic Offices said export receipts in January were only 2.49 billion dollars, compared to 4.23 billion dollars the same month in 2008, and down from from
2.67 billion dollars in December.