Have you heard of Mavulis Island? Most haven’t, but that’s about to change. Once dismissed as a remote, windswept outpost at the northern edge of the Philippines, Mavulis is now emerging as one of the most consequential islands in the Indo-Pacific. Just 140 kilometers from Taiwan and perched beside the Bashi Channel, a maritime chokepoint…
At dawn, local fishermen off the northern coast of Luzon scan the sky as they haul their nets, not just for weather, but for warplanes. Overhead, the thunder of Chinese jets patrolling Taiwan’s ADIZ has become part of the daily soundscape in 2025. Just beyond the horizon lies the Bashi Channel, a narrow maritime passage…
“Sir, radar contact, 80 miles out. It’s… gone.” That’s the kind of moment rewriting air combat history. In June 2025, just off the coast of the South China Sea, U.S. surveillance assets picked up a fleeting radar trace, then lost it. No visual, no transponder, no trail. Intelligence would later confirm what many had feared:…
“What if I told you… the next big economic miracle isn’t China. It’s not India. It’s not even Indonesia. It’s the Philippines.” Yes, you heard that right. The Philippines, an archipelago once dismissed as the “sick man of Asia”, is now roaring back with a vengeance. From bustling BPO centers to tech-powered cities, this Southeast…
MANILA — The Philippine government has trimmed its economic growth target for 2025 amid mounting global uncertainties, including geopolitical tensions in the Middle East and newly imposed U.S. tariffs on international trade. The Development and Budget Coordination Committee (DBCC), a key policymaking body composed of the country’s top economic managers, on Thursday announced a revised…
Two archipelagic titans. One turbulent region. And a rising wave of threats that could reshape the Indo-Pacific forever. The Philippines, a key U.S. ally at the frontline of the South China Sea flashpoints, is racing to build a credible deterrent under its bold Comprehensive Archipelagic Defense Concept. Just across the seas, Indonesia, Southeast Asia’s silent…
In what could mark a seismic shift in U.S. force posture across the Indo-Pacific, American lawmakers are pushing for the construction of a major ammunition manufacturing and storage plant at the former U.S. Naval Base Subic Bay — a site once considered the crown jewel of Washington’s military footprint in Southeast Asia. If the plan…
Philippines’ Energy Landscape The Philippines remains heavily dependent on imported fuels to meet its energy needs, a reality that continues to strain the country’s energy security and economic stability. As of 2024, fossil fuels made up 79% of the nation’s electricity generation, with coal accounting for 63%—83% of which was imported, mainly from Indonesia. Over…
“They’ve arrived.” In the command center near Manila Bay, Defence Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. slams a report onto the table. Across from him, General Romeo Brawner leans forward: “Philippines just received its second battery of BrahMos missiles, 290 km range, supersonic, just two months after the first.” Outside, naval officers track live feeds from the South…
In the boiling heart of Asia’s power struggle, one question dominates the map: Why does China want full control over the South China Sea? This isn’t just about rocks and reefs—it’s about supremacy, security, and rewriting the rules of the global order. With trillions in trade passing through these waters, vast untapped energy reserves below,…
