A decade after the last major find, a new offshore gas discovery east of Malampaya has revived a long-running question in Philippine energy policy: how much time can domestic gas realistically buy before imports become…
Why Marcos’s Cambodia visit matters more than photo…
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s three-day state visit to Cambodia, the first by a Philippine leader in nearly a decade, is being cast as “highly important” by Manila’s diplomats. But its real weight lies not in…
Binding or bust? The Philippines bets big on…
In the South China Sea, diplomacy is often as turbulent as the waters themselves. Now, the Philippines wants to calm the storm with a legally binding Code of Conduct. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has vowed…
The perception gap: Why Manila and Beijing see…
For the Philippines, the South China Sea is both a vital resource and a recurring flashpoint. Its reefs and shoals are not only rich fishing grounds but also gateways for energy exploration and global shipping.…
Philippines loses competitive edge among Taiwanese investors
For a brief moment this year, the Philippines had something rare in the cutthroat world of trade policy: an edge over its Southeast Asian neighbors. When U.S. President Donald Trump rolled out his first volley…
How the Philippines and U.S. allies might respond…
If war breaks out in the Taiwan Strait, who stands with whom? Long debated in policy circles and military simulations, this question is no longer theoretical. With tensions escalating across the Indo-Pacific, the prospect of…
Marcos at midterm: Between ambition and accountability
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. will deliver his fourth State of the Nation Address (SONA) this Monday, marking the midpoint of his six-year term. As the administration moves into its latter half, expectations remain high—but so…
Out-tariffed, not outplayed: Why the Philippines shouldn’t fold…
When news broke that Philippine exports would face a 19% tariff entering the United States—while American goods would enter the Philippines tariff-free—it was met with understandable frustration. Social media buzzed with disbelief: "Bakit ganun? Lugi…
All eyes on the 4th SONA: Will PBBM…
It opened with familiar rhetoric — and ended with a war on vice. But the most consequential line in President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s third State of the Nation Address (SONA) wasn’t about inflation, infrastructure, or…