The sight of MV-22 Ospreys soaring above the northernmost frontier of the Philippines marked a symbolic and strategic milestone on June 1, 2025, as U.S. Marines from Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 364 (VMM-364), under Marine Aircraft Group 39, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, extracted their counterparts from the 3rd Littoral Combat Team, 3rd Littoral Regiment, 3rd…
Two nations. One land. And a question that refuses to die, was Sabah merely leased… or permanently surrendered? For more than a century, that single question has haunted Southeast Asia, fueling one of its most sensitive and explosive territorial disputes. Today, the guns are silent, but the legal battles rage on. Heirs of the once-powerful…
Is World War 3 already beginning in the Pacific? Onlookers were stunned this week as the U.S. Army conducted live-fire anti-ship missile tests in the Philippines, right on China’s doorstep. With the backdrop of rising conflict in the South China Sea and relentless military pressure on Taiwan, this sudden show of force has ignited fears…
June 2025, In the sweltering heat of the South China Sea, a Philippine resupply vessel is rammed by a Chinese Coast Guard ship near Second Thomas Shoal. A 3.5-foot hole is torn through its side, forcing an emergency retreat and injuring multiple crew members. This isn’t a one-off event, it’s the latest in a string…
Metro Manila dazzles. In places like Bonifacio Global City, glass towers soar, luxury cars glide past boutiques, and cafés buzz with remote workers. On paper, the economy is thriving, Q1 2025 saw a 5.4% GDP growth, fueled by retail, finance, manufacturing, and an 18.7% spike in government spending. But step outside this urban sheen, and…
Grounded Chinese Ship Sparks Alarms: What’s Really Happening in the South China Sea? On a tense Saturday morning, June 7, 2025, a Chinese vessel unexpectedly ran aground near a Philippine-occupied island in the fiercely contested South China Sea. But this was no ordinary maritime mishap. For many observers, it signaled something far more deliberate, an…
In a dramatic display of tightening alliances and growing urgency, the Philippines and the United States concluded their seventh joint maritime exercises in the South China Sea just days ago, on June 5, 2025. This followed closely on the heels of a major U.S. proposal offering Manila a fleet of F-16 Block 70/72 fighters valued…
What happens when unmanned warships become the front line of a global showdown? In the treacherous tides of the South China Sea, the sparks of superpower rivalry are already flying, and the Philippines is fast becoming the launchpad for a 21st-century arms race. The Indo-Pacific is no longer just a geopolitical buzzword. It’s the arena…
Southeast Asia is rewriting the rules of travel. With the Philippines dropping visa requirements for Indian tourists starting June 8, a tourism tsunami is sweeping across the region. From the beaches of Bali to the temples of Bangkok, countries like India, Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, and the Philippines are unleashing a powerhouse mix of visa-free entry,…
A Paradise in Peril Nestled in the heart of the Philippines lies the Verde Island Passage — often hailed as one of the most biodiverse marine ecosystems on the planet. This ecological jewel is home to sprawling coral reefs, over 2,000 species of reef fish, and countless coastal communities who have fished its waters for…
