Breaking Ground: DOE’s Landmark Solar Launch in Balabac Picture this: On October 3, 2025, under the tropical sun of Palawan, the Philippine Department of Energy (DOE) flipped the switch on a revolutionary solar mobile power system—the Mobile Energy System (MES)—bringing reliable, clean electricity to one of the country’s most isolated spots. This isn’t just another panel on a roof; it’s a…
Introduction: A Familiar Chinese Tactic in the South China Sea When China announced its plan to create a “marine nature reserve” at the disputed Scarborough Shoal (known as Bajo de Masinloc in the Philippines), it was packaged as an eco-friendly move. But in Manila, it triggered immediate alarm bells among defense officials and veterans of the South China Sea dispute. This China Scarborough Shoal nature reserve proposal echoes past deceptions—phrases…
Introduction: Sabah’s Flag as a Symbol of Identity and Sovereignty Flags aren’t just pieces of fabric—they’re powerful symbols of who we are and where we belong. In Sabah, this rings especially true, with three official state flags since 1963 reflecting a tug-of-war between Sabah national unity and local pride. Imagine a hypothetical Sabah referendum or Sabah flag referendum today: it would be…
China’s Dangerous Escalation: H-6 Bombers Deployed Near Scarborough Shoal In late 2025, the South China Sea crisis 2025 reached a critical breaking point as satellite intelligence confirmed the deployment of China H-6 bombers Scarborough Shoal armed with YJ-12 supersonic anti-ship missiles near Scarborough Shoal (Bajo de Masinloc). This provocative military move, timed to coincide with China’s National Day on October 1, 2025, marked the first time Beijing stationed high-intensity strike…
When China proposed creating a “marine nature reserve” at Scarborough Shoal, it sounded like an environmental initiative. But in Manila, alarm bells rang. Filipino defense officials, veterans of the South China Sea dispute, recognized the familiar pattern—one that began with vague promises and ended in military outposts. They had seen it before at Mischief Reef,…
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…
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…
A silent, unseen leviathan is now gliding through some of the world’s most hotly contested waters, as the United States deploys a nuclear-powered attack submarine to the South China Sea to “preserve a free and open Indo-Pacific.” In truth, this is a calculated show of force, a deliberate signal to Beijing challenging its sweeping “nine-dash”…
The South China Sea, long a hotbed of geopolitical tension, is now witnessing a dramatic shift in power. To understand why, we need to step back into the bigger picture of the dispute that has shaped our region for decades. And then, boom, the numbers hit you: a historic fleet expansion, the kind of transformation…
What if I told you the greatest threat to Southeast Asia isn’t war, but silence? Imagine you’re part of a team built on promises of unity and protection. Now imagine being attacked, while your teammates stand back and say nothing. That’s how many in the Philippines feel about ASEAN. As China escalates aggression in the…
