Why the Philippines Is Investing Heavily in Defense: A Strategic Imperative in a Changing Indo-Pacific For decades, the Philippines was not seen as a military heavyweight. It wasn’t trying to be. The country focused inward, on development, on domestic stability, on economic growth. Defense spending existed, yes, but it was modest. Functional. Limited. That era…
EDCA Is Not a U.S. Base: Manila’s Strategic Recalibration Amid Middle East Tensions Last week, as headlines screamed about possible escalation between Iran and Israel, a different kind of panic started trending in Manila. “Are we about to be dragged into someone else’s war?” That was the message lighting up group chats. That was the…
Philippines–US–Japan Military Drills Over the Bashi Channel (Feb 2026) The morning fog over Batanes hung thick, curling around the jagged cliffs like it was hiding something. Something big. I was standing there, watching the tiny fishing boats bob against waves that now shared space with gray silhouettes of warships, Philippine, US, and Japanese, sliding through…
Does Indonesia Also Have a Stake in Sabah? Last week, when headlines once again mentioned “heightened patrols near Sabah” and quiet diplomatic conversations in Kuala Lumpur, something struck me. Not what was said. But what wasn’t. Every time Sabah makes the news, the script feels familiar. It’s always framed as Malaysia versus the Philippines. The…
