Will the Balabac Base Deter China from Maritime Aggression? On the southern edge of Palawan, where turquoise waters fade into the contested blue of the South China Sea, a new Philippine military outpost is emerging—Balabac Island, the latest frontier in Manila’s growing effort to resist Beijing’s maritime pressure. Though quiet for now, Balabac’s purpose is…
China’s New Floating Barrier at Scarborough Shoal — A Renewed Flashpoint in the South China Sea The South China Sea has once again erupted into controversy, not with gunfire but with a new floating barrier that turned Scarborough Shoal into Asia’s latest flashpoint. Just 120 nautical miles from Luzon, this tiny atoll has become…
Why the Philippines Matters More Than Ever in the Taiwan Question For decades, the “Taiwan question” was seen through a familiar triangle: Washington, Tokyo, and Taipei — the principal players in any potential conflict across the Taiwan Strait. But in recent years, a quiet yet profound geopolitical shift has redrawn that map. The Philippines, once…
Which Defense Equipment Does the Philippines Need the Most? As tensions in the West Philippine Sea continue to rise, the question of which defense equipment the Philippines needs most has become more urgent than ever. With limited resources and an increasingly aggressive regional environment, Manila must focus on investments that deliver the greatest deterrent power…
Can the Philippines and China Ease South China Sea Tensions? The South China Sea remains one of the world’s most combustible maritime flashpoints, and nowhere is this tension more visible than between the Philippines and China. The dispute is not only about fishing rights, rocks, and reefs—it is a clash of sovereignty, national identity, and…
In a dramatic escalation that could reshape the Indo-Pacific security landscape, China deployed buoys, security officers, and J-16 fighter jets over Scarborough Shoal on October 17, 2025—right in the middle of Philippine military exercises in the West Philippine Sea. The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) has confirmed the placement of at least two new Chinese buoys in and around the shoal, backed by large patrol vessels CCG-101 and CCG-301, with a People’s Liberation…
Introduction: The One-Sided Water Wars of the West Philippine Sea The West Philippine Sea has become a battleground of asymmetry, where China’s hulking coast guard ships—some displacing 10,000 tons—routinely bully, ram, and blast smaller Philippine vessels with high-pressure water cannons. The latest escalation, on October 12, 2025, near Thitu Island (Pag-asa), saw the China Coast Guard (CCG) vessel Bow No. 21559 firing water cannons at the Philippine fisheries ship…
The South China Sea is Boiling Over—Again If you’re watching from Manila, Cebu, or California, you’re witnessing history unfold in real time. The South China Sea—a $5.3 trillion trade highway carrying a quarter of global commerce—has once again become the world’s most dangerous flashpoint. And at the center of the storm? China’s latest diplomatic broadside against the Philippines, calling Manila’s actions…
Introduction: A New Front in the West Philippine Sea Conflict The Philippine Navy is investigating unidentified underwater structures near Bajo de Masinloc (Scarborough Shoal), a flashpoint in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) dispute. This development marks a dangerous escalation—shifting the conflict from surface confrontations to covert underwater encroachment, raising alarms over national security, sovereignty, and maritime law. Located 124 nautical miles off Zambales, Bajo de Masinloc is a strategic…
The Red Line: Philippines’ Contingency Plan if China Moves to Tow the BRP Sierra Madre A lone, rusting ship, the BRP Sierra Madre, sits grounded on Ayungin Shoal—a symbol of Philippine sovereignty and the frontline of a looming crisis. Recently, a Chinese naval tugboat was spotted maneuvering dangerously close, a move analysts see as a direct probe…
