The recent decision by the U.S. Department of Defense to allocate funds for the development of the Philippine naval base at Oyster Bay in Palawan is emblematic of a broader shift in U.S.-Philippines defense cooperation, one defined by technological innovation, maritime logistics, and the urgent realities of China’s assertiveness in the South China Sea. Palawan’s…
Introduction: Turning Geography into a Strength The Philippines, an archipelago of over 7,000 islands, has long been defined by its geography—but now, it’s turning that geography into a strength. The Luzon Bypass Infrastructure (LBI), a groundbreaking terrestrial fiber-optic corridor, is reshaping the country’s role in global telecommunications. By bypassing the Luzon Strait, one of the most seismically active…
On September 16, 2025, the China Coast Guard’s water cannon assault at Scarborough Shoal highlighted the intensifying clash between Beijing’s expansive claims and Manila’s defense of its sovereign rights. The Philippines under President Marcos Jr. is pushing for a legally binding Code of Conduct (CoC) to end coercion, collisions, and new island-building. The South China…
Guam, the United States’ westernmost territory, is fast becoming one of the most important pieces on the Indo-Pacific chessboard. Its position, about 1,600 miles east of Manila and 1,700 miles south of Tokyo, places it close enough to key Asian flashpoints for rapid action, yet far enough to provide a defensive cushion from the immediate…
The Philippines is raising its voice like never before, urging the world to stop what it calls China’s “seizure” of the South China Sea. The South China Sea is one of the planet’s busiest economic lifelines, carrying an estimated US $3.36 trillion in trade every year, which explains why both Manila and Beijing see it…
The Panatag Shoal dispute is a microcosm of the larger geopolitical contest for the South China Sea. Known locally as Bajo de Masinloc and in China as Huangyan Island, this triangle-shaped coral atoll is not just a fishing ground, it is a test case for sovereignty, international law, and great-power rivalry. At the heart of…
The South China Sea just witnessed one of its most dramatic and lopsided standoffs yet. In what’s now called the “22 Chinese Ships vs. Alone a Wolf” incident, a lone Philippine Navy vessel was surrounded and harassed by 22 Chinese ships near Scarborough Shoal, an area deep inside the Philippines’ Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). The…
Just weeks after the September 2025 collision near Scarborough Shoal, three Chinese warships have now entered Philippine waters, setting off alarm bells in Manila and Washington. The latest incursion of three Chinese warships into Philippine waters did not happen in a vacuum. The Philippine government has reacted swiftly and forcefully to the presence of Chinese…
Perched at the very crossroads of the Indo-Pacific, the Philippines is more than just a cluster of islands, it is a gatekeeper to sea lanes that carry over a third of the world’s maritime trade and a cornerstone of the “first island chain” that shapes U.S. and allied defense strategy. Beneath these same contested waters…
The South China Sea has entered a dangerous new phase as great-power rivalry collides with long-running territorial disputes. In mid-September 2025 the United States, Japan, and the Philippines carried out joint maritime exercises inside Manila’s Exclusive Economic Zone to demonstrate unity and a commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific. Within hours, China’s Southern Theater…
