MANILA, Philippines — American and Philippine military officials have inspected a newly opened forward operating base in Batanes, underscoring the allies’ growing security cooperation as tensions continue to rise in waters near Taiwan. The visit comes as Manila strengthens its northern defenses amid China’s increasingly assertive actions in the WestContinue Reading

MANILA, Philippines — A long-running dispute over who gets to fish in the country’s municipal waters — the first 15 kilometers from the shoreline — has resurfaced, rekindling tensions between government fisheries officials, environmental groups, and small-scale fisherfolk. At the center of the debate is whether commercial fishing vessels shouldContinue Reading

MANILA, Philippines — For decades, the Philippines marketed paradise in a single frame: white sand, blue water, and the promise of escape. But in an era of intensifying storms, coral bleaching, and vanishing coastlines, the country is being forced to confront an uncomfortable truth — paradise is fragile. And ifContinue Reading

MANILA, Philippines – A fresh debate could erupt after Ako Bicol Representative Alfredo Garbin Jr. warned that the long-delayed Anti-Political Dynasty Act cannot be enforced unless the Constitution is amended. The statement revived an old but unresolved question: Can Congress ban political dynasties using a simple law, or would doingContinue Reading