A tiny percentage of vocal elites in the region who have become Pro-China are clamoring for separation from the United States. Complete cessation of American military activities in the ASEAN theater – closing access to…
South China Sea tensions, gray-zone tactics, and the perennial question of whose little blue boats are really just fishing. Over the past five years, an unexpected wildcard has emerged — the “3rd Threat Element.”, aka.…
In his masterpiece 1955 book, The Triumph of the English Language, Author Richard Foster Jones presented a thorough academic outline on how the “Combined Tongues of the Angles, Saxons and Jutes” was able to supersede…
In the contested gray-zone areas of the West Philippine Sea (WPS), where Chinese Coast Guard vessels, maritime militia, and PLAN units have repeatedly harassed Philippine fisherfolk, Coast Guard patrols, Navy missions, and outposts at Pag-Asa…
The Chinese embassy’s latest statements on West Philippine Sea incidents was a classic case of “taking the piss”, a British slang term that means “making fun of” – feigned, performative outrage while their ships harass…
As global companies seek cost efficiencies and digital transformation in remote B2B services and customer support, Southeast Asian nations are intensifying competition for a slice of the multi-billion-dollar outsourcing pie. The Philippines has long dominated…
ASEAN comprises a politically diverse bloc of ten member states. Democracy levels vary widely, shaped by historical legacies of colonialism, authoritarian rule, ethnic diversity, and economic priorities. Using indices like the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU)…
Corruption remains a significant challenge across much of ASEAN, as reflected in the 2025 Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI – published annually by Transparency International), where Singapore ranks highly clean while countries like Myanmar, Cambodia, and…
Embarrassing political chaos, Duterte’s imprisonment, elite squabbles, and an economic slowdown are causing concern and skepticism after Manila assumed ASEAN chairmanship in January of this year. Malaysian and Indonesian figures are criticizing the Philippine legal…
Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa dramatically returned to the Philippine Senate after six months in hiding to evade ICC arrest in a chaotic hallway chase, later crying in front of reporters and comically singing his…
