Philippines to Develop its Biggest Airport
In the icy waters of the North Atlantic, NATO frigates and Russian submarines play a silent game of cat-and-mouse through the GIUK Gap—a strategic naval chokepoint between Greenland, Iceland, and the UK. It’s a place where geography defines power, where nations dig in not for conquest, but for presence. Control of such waters isn’t just about ships and sensors—it’s about shaping the future balance of global influence.
Thousands of kilometers away, in the blazing tropics of the South China Sea, a similar high-stakes drama is unfolding—but this time, with coral reefs, artificial islands, and contested shoals at centre stage. Here, it’s not NATO and Russia—it’s the Philippines and China. And at the heart of this struggle lies a bold and unprecedented gamble by Manila: to transform its remote outposts in the Spratly Islands into fully functional, strategic bastions of national sovereignty.
In 2025, the Philippines decisively upped the ante. Backed by a record-breaking PHP 3.03 billion infrastructure budget, the government launched a sweeping development plan on two of its most critical holdings—Pag-asa Island (Thitu) and Lawak Island (Nanshan). What’s unfolding is no longer a mere territorial assertion—it’s a shift in posture. From reactive to proactive. From presence to permanence.
This is the story of how the Philippines, long overshadowed in the race to solidify claims in the South China Sea, is now rewriting its role in one of the world’s most volatile flashpoints—through runways, ports, civilian settlements, and a renewed doctrine of “not yielding a single inch.” But in doing so, it’s also stirring a geopolitical storm that could reshape not only the region—but the rules of maritime order itself.
Location & Strategic Importance:
The ongoing expansion of the Pag-asa Island Airport is a cornerstone of the Philippines’ effort to cement its sovereignty in the highly contested South China Sea. With a substantial budget of over P1.65 billion allocated for 2025 alone—part of a larger P3.03 billion fund aimed at strengthening the country’s position in the West Philippine Sea—Manila is pushing to extend the runway from 1.3 to 1.5 kilometers. This extension isn’t just about bigger planes; it symbolizes a strategic upgrade, allowing the airstrip to accommodate military aircraft variants and transport planes, thereby enhancing logistical support to the island’s small but resilient civilian population and its military presence.
Beyond the airport, investments in sheltered ports on Pag-asa and nearby Lawak Island highlight a broader vision of improving maritime infrastructure to safeguard fishermen and ensure reliable supply routes. The island’s civilian community—unique among Philippine outposts in the disputed sea—along with coast guard facilities, a clinic, and educational institutions, paint a picture of determined nation-building. This development is about a vivid assertion of sovereignty, sending a firm message to China and other claimants that the Philippines intends to uphold its territorial integrity through both legal rights affirmed by the 2016 arbitral ruling and practical, on-the-ground enhancements.
Still, these advances come amid ongoing tensions and risks. China’s continued objections, interference, and aggressive maritime maneuvers around Pag-asa reveal the fragile nature of peace in the region. Yet, the Philippines’ approach—focusing on enhancing a naturally occurring island with civilian and limited military presence—reflects a wise, asymmetric strategy that respects international law while enhancing its defensive and monitoring capabilities. This careful balance not only strengthens Manila’s hand but also highlights a traditional, measured resolve to protect what has always been part of its territory, even in the face of mounting geopolitical pressures.
Runway Expansion
The ongoing expansion of the runway on Pag-asa Island—from its current length of 1.3 kilometers to 1.5 kilometers—marks a crucial step in the Philippines’ broader strategy to reinforce its presence in the South China Sea. With a committed allocation of P1.65 billion (approximately $27 million USD) from the 2025 national budget, the project is already moving forward with procurement processes well underway and a defined timeline for completion. This infrastructure upgrade not only enhances the island’s physical capabilities but also significantly boosts its operational potential as a key strategic outpost.
From an operational standpoint, the extended runway will accommodate larger and more versatile aircraft, including the fighter jets that the Philippines is currently acquiring, as well as transport planes such as the C-130 Hercules. While the existing strip can support some of these aircraft under favorable conditions, the additional length provides critical safety margins—particularly for heavier payloads and during adverse weather. This improvement translates into more reliable resupply missions, safer troop rotations, and greater flexibility in logistics operations, all of which are essential given the frequent disruptions faced by maritime resupply efforts in contested waters like Ayungin Shoal.
Moreover, the enhanced airfield at Pag-asa increases the country’s maritime domain awareness by enabling the deployment of patrol aircraft to monitor activity across the West Philippine Sea. This capability is vital for safeguarding national interests and maintaining situational awareness in a region marked by persistent tensions and overlapping territorial claims.
On a broader strategic level, the runway upgrade serves as a clear demonstration of sovereignty and deterrence. While it may not rival the scale of China’s massive artificial island runways—which stretch beyond 2.7 kilometers—the improvements on Pag-asa underscore the Philippines’ commitment to asserting its territorial rights within the framework of international law. The island is evolving into a multi-use facility that blends civilian, logistical, and limited military functions, capable of hosting both combat and transport aircraft when needed.
Budget Allocation
The Philippine government has allocated P3.03 billion (approximately $51 million USD) in its 2025 national budget for infrastructure and defense projects in the West Philippine Sea, underscoring its firm commitment to reinforcing sovereignty in the contested region. A significant portion of this—P1.65 billion ($27 million USD)—is earmarked for the expansion of the airport on Pag-asa Island, extending its runway from 1.3 to 1.5 kilometers. This enhancement will allow safer operations for larger aircraft, including fighter jets and transport planes such as the C-130 Hercules, improving logistical reach and military flexibility. In tandem, P300 million is being directed toward constructing a sheltered port on the island, which will safeguard vessels during extreme weather and ensure more reliable resupply missions. With key phases of the port already nearing completion and procurement processes actively progressing, these developments reflect a clear and determined push to solidify the Philippines’ presence in the area.
Beyond strengthening logistics and defense capabilities, these infrastructure upgrades significantly enhance the country’s ability to monitor and respond to maritime threats. The improved runway and port facilities enable the deployment of surveillance aircraft and rapid-response assets, bolstering situational awareness and deterrence against foreign incursions—particularly amid escalating tensions with China near strategic points like Ayungin Shoal and Pag-asa Island. Additionally, the government envisions developing Pag-asa into a civilian hub, including plans for recreational fishing tourism and sustainable settlement, to reinforce its territorial claims through non-military means. Drawing parallels to strategies employed by other South China Sea claimants like Vietnam, this multifaceted approach combines legal, diplomatic, economic, and military elements to assert the Philippines’ sovereign rights in the region.
Additional Infrastructure:
To fortify its foothold in the Spratly Islands, the Philippines is channelling over ₱1 billion into a state-of-the-art sheltered port on Lawak Island (Nanshan), a critical outpost 160 kilometers east of Pag-asa Island. As part of a robust ₱3.03 billion (US$51.5 million) 2025 budget to bolster its West Philippine Sea presence, the Department of Transportation is spearheading these ₱1.08 billion (US$18 million) projects to transform Lawak into a vital maritime hub. This sheltered port will safeguard fishing vessels, Philippine Coast Guard, and Navy ships from storms while serving as a logistical lifeline for resupply missions, strengthening Manila’s operational resilience in this contested region. Strategically positioned along the northern supply route from Palawan, Lawak’s port will streamline naval operations, extend patrol durations, and enhance maritime enforcement against illegal fishing and foreign encroachments. Though smaller than Pag-asa, Lawak’s upgraded infrastructure is pivotal to sustaining Philippine sovereignty and maritime awareness across the Kalayaan Island Group. This move, complementing Pag-asa’s enhancements, signals Manila’s determination to match the infrastructure advances of rivals like China and Vietnam. While China’s artificial islands cast a long shadow, the Philippines is fortifying its natural outposts to ensure they are defensible and sustainable, despite logistical challenges and Beijing’s likely diplomatic backlash.
Military and Civilian Presence:
Pag-asa Island stands as the beating heart of the Philippines’ defiant claim to the South China Sea, blending civilian resilience with military fortitude in a volatile region. As of May 2025, this vital outpost sustains around 300 residents—civilians and military personnel—making it a rare beacon of effective occupation amidst the Spratly Islands’ contested waters. Civilians, living in modest wooden homes, sustain themselves through fishing and small-scale farming, supported by critical infrastructure: an integrated school educating over 100 students, a clinic, a police station, and reliable utilities like round-the-clock electricity and potable water. Meanwhile, a steadfast contingent of Philippine Navy, Coast Guard, and Air Force personnel vigilantly secures the island, monitoring waters shadowed by Chinese vessels, especially near the heavily fortified Subi Reef. Grassroots efforts like the “Atin Ito” coalition further amplify Filipino resolve, spotlighting fishermen’s struggles against persistent Chinese surveillance.
Recent infrastructure leaps have transformed Pag-asa into a formidable hub. The extended Rancudo Airfield now welcomes larger C-130 aircraft, streamlining resupply missions, enhancing aerial patrols, and unlocking forward-operating potential. A newly developed sheltered port ensures secure docking for naval vessels, easing cargo transfers and bolstering maritime law enforcement across the Kalayaan Island Group. These upgrades not only fortify defense capabilities but also uplift civilian life, offering reliable access to goods, improved healthcare through medical evacuations, and budding economic prospects like recreational fishing tourism and homestays. This dual focus on military strength and community vitality cements Pag-asa’s role as a logistical linchpin, sustaining smaller outposts while fostering a thriving civilian presence.
Strategically, Pag-asa’s robust civilian-military synergy, underpinned by these advancements, solidifies Manila’s claim of effective occupation under international law, countering China’s aggressive expansion without mirroring its artificial island gambits. This balanced approach projects unwavering resolve, garners global support, and reinforces the Philippines’ jurisdictional stance in a tense maritime theater. Pag-asa thus emerges as a potent symbol of sovereignty—a resilient outpost where strategic foresight and human tenacity converge to hold the line in one of Asia’s most contested seas.
Geopolitical Tensions:
The South China Sea simmers with tension, and Pag-asa Island sits at the heart of this geopolitical storm, where the Philippines’ bold moves to strengthen its outpost clash with China’s unyielding claims. Beijing insists it holds “indisputable sovereignty” over nearly the entire sea, including Pag-asa—known to them as Zhongye Dao—and views Manila’s infrastructure projects, especially those hinting at military or allied use, as direct challenges. Chinese Coast Guard and maritime militia ships loom nearby, relentlessly shadowing Philippine vessels and aircraft, with Filipino pilots often hearing chilling radio warnings accusing them of trespassing on Chinese soil. Beijing’s tactics extend to disinformation, like baseless claims of seizing nearby Sandy Cay, swiftly debunked by Philippine officials. This unrelenting pressure ebbs briefly during high-profile Filipino operations but surges back with fiercer resolve.
The ongoing expansion of Pag-asa’s runway to 1.5 kilometers heightens the stakes, enabling larger aircraft like C-130s and even certain F-16 variants for patrols and potential defense operations. Just 14.4 miles from China’s heavily fortified Subi Reef, this upgrade raises the specter of risky aerial encounters—close calls or even confrontations. At sea, China’s “gray zone” aggression, like water cannon assaults on Philippine resupply missions to nearby Ayungin Shoal, underscores its willingness to flex muscle just short of open conflict. Meanwhile, Manila’s deepening bond with the United States, backed by the 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty, adds another layer of complexity. The U.S. condemns China’s moves as provocative, and while Pag-asa isn’t an EDCA site, expanded American access to strategic spots like Balabac Island and joint exercises like Balikatan signal robust cooperation. Though no U.S. troops are slated for Pag-asa, Beijing remains wary that these upgrades could pave the way for an American presence, fueling suspicions that shape this high-stakes regional chess game.
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International Law Context:
The 2016 Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) ruling was a game-changer for the Philippines, delivering a resounding legal blow to China’s sprawling “nine-dash line” claims in the South China Sea. The tribunal tore apart Beijing’s assertions, declaring that no Spratly feature, including those hotly contested, could generate an Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). It upheld the Philippines’ rights over places like Mischief Reef and Second Thomas Shoal, slamming China’s artificial island-building and bullying tactics as clear violations of international law under UNCLOS. Yet, China brushed off the ruling as “null and void,” doubling down with defiance, propaganda, and aggressive moves that mock the tribunal’s authority.
Under President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., the Philippines has found its voice, wielding the 2016 ruling as a diplomatic sword. Manila’s new transparency campaign lays bare China’s intrusions and harassment around Pag-asa Island and Ayungin Shoal, where Beijing’s attempts to choke resupply missions have sparked outrage, grounded in the PCA’s verdict. The Philippines isn’t stopping there—it’s mulling a second arbitration or seeking advisory opinions from the International Court of Justice to keep the pressure on. This bold stance has rallied global allies, with over two dozen nations backing the ruling by late 2023, a sharp rise from just eight when Marcos took office, signaling a growing coalition against China’s defiance.
Still, enforcing the ruling is like pushing a boulder uphill. China’s perch as a UN Security Council permanent member shields it from real consequences, leaving the PCA’s decision powerful but toothless. Yet, for the Philippines, it’s a beacon of legal clarity, a rallying cry for allies, and a moral high ground in a tense standoff. As Pag-asa Island’s development presses forward and clashes persist in the West Philippine Sea, this legal cornerstone—though unenforced—shapes the region’s high-stakes tug-of-war, where international law grapples with raw geopolitical power.