Rodrigo Duterte — 9DASHLINE

As the Philippines’ 'agency' in West Philippine Sea rises, so too does its infrastructure development

Written by Joshua Bernard Espeña

In the Philippine context, the country’s newfound middle-power position offers the Southeast Asian state the ability to navigate uncertainties based on clearly defined national interests, and doubling down on its commitment to develop its infrastructures in the West Philippine Sea is one of the ways to do it.

Southeast Asia9DLMarch 21, 20249dashline, Joshua Bernard Espeña, Philippines, Philippine sea, maritime infrastructure development, Anti-Access/Area-Denial operations, A2/AD, South China Sea, SCS, drones, imagery intelligence devices, agency, assertive transparency, revisionist moves, middle-power, Southeast Asia, national interests, Philippine Congress, infrastructure development, Martin Romualdez, economic development, resource base, natural resources, Manila, diplomacy, China, Beijing, theory of victory, strategic culture, Ferdinand Marcos Jr, Marcos Jr., National Security Policy (NSP) 2023-2028, NSP 2023-2028, multipolar world, national sovereignty, territorial integrity, national security, resupply missions, joint exercises, construction development, John Mearsheimer, foreign policy objectives, informational spheres, like-minded allies, domestic politics, external powers, foreign policy, Philippine-US alliance, Enhanced Defence Cooperation Agreement, EDCA, Northern Luzon, Huang Xilian, Taiwan, Comprehensive Archipelagic Defence Concept, CADC, Armed Forces of the Philippines, AFP, Mavulis Island, Basco, Batanes province, American interests, Chinese power, Taiwan Strait, West Philippine Sea, Philippine Department of National Defence, archipelagic security, geostrategic agency, Rodrigo Duterte, Philippine-China relations, Malacañang Palace, Cheloy Serafil, Xi, Pantaleon Alvarez, appeasement, Jonathan Malaya, territory, multi-domain future warfare, warfare, As the Philippines’ 'agency' in West Philippine Sea rises, so too does its infrastructure development

Challenges remain in the Philippines despite Maria Ressa’s court victory

Written by Chris Fitzgerald

Maria Ressa’s acquittal is not only a rare victory for press freedom, but it offers the Philippines a chance to distance itself from the brutal regime of the former President, Rodrigo Duterte.

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Chartering a course for peace: EU-Philippines maritime security cooperation

Written by Daniela Braun, Marie Antoinette de Jesus, and Sophiya Navarro

Increasing EU-Philippine maritime security cooperation is a positive development that reflects both actors’ mutual interests and values, as well as their willingness to engage with each other and other Indo-Pacific actors.

Europe and the Indo-Pacific9DLOctober 13, 20239dashline, Chartering a course for peace: EU-Philippines maritime security cooperation, EU, Philippines, European Union, European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, Manila, Brussels, diplomatic relations, trade relations, trade exports, climate change, digital economy, connectivity, infrastructure, China, Beijing, Chinese aggression, South China Sea, Indo-Pacific, maritime disputes, Strategy for Cooperation in the Indo-Pacific, geopolitical significance, intensifying competition, US, Washington, Russia-Ukraine war, geopolitics, global economy, Russian oil and gas, maritime security cooperation, maritime security, EU-Philippine, Bongbong, Marcos, Jr., Rodrigo Duterte, ASEAN Coordinator for Dialogue Relations with the EU, security cooperation, EU-Philippines Joint Committee Meeting, ocean governance, maritime issues, blue economy, CRIMARIO, Critical Maritime Routes Indian Ocean, maritime domain awareness, Philippine Navy, Philippine Coast Guard, National Coast Watch Council Center, ASEAN, Indo-Pacific Regional Information Sharing Platform, IORIS, Enhancing Security Cooperation In and With Asia, ESIWA, multilateralism, rules-based order, maritime security partnership, Arbitral Ruling, 2016 arbitral ruling, US State Department, navigation freedoms, flight freedoms, EU Delegation in Manila, United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, UNCLOS, von der Leyen, defence assistance, threat assessments

Southeast Asian maritime states are hedging to stay afloat amidst US-China rivalry

Written by Hunter Marston

As US-China rivalry hardens, becoming more zero-sum, and China continues to challenge the territorial sovereignty of maritime Southeast Asian states, it will become increasingly difficult to sustain such hedging policies.

Post-INF Indo-Pacific: The strategic potential of US-Philippines cooperation

Written by Rupert Schulenburg

A rotational deployment of US ground-based anti-ship missiles to Philippine bases would constitute a major deepening of US-Philippines defence cooperation and could bolster regional deterrence.

East Asia9DLMay 18, 20239dashline, Post-INF Indo-Pacific: The strategic potential of US-Philippines cooperation, RUPERT SCHULENBURG, The Philippines, China, indo-pacific, US, US military primacy, navy, US military bases, Taiwan, military capabilities, US force posture, Taiwan contingency, US-Philippines defence cooperation, regional deterrence, US-Philippines, defence cooperation, anti-ship missile system, Manila, weapons systems, conventional missile strike volume, land-based nuclear forces, precision-strike missiles, Intermediate Nuclear Forces Treaty, Trump administration, Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty, INF, Russia, Mark Esper, south korea, Terminal High Altitude Area Defense, THAAD, Beijing, economic boycott, conventional weapons, land-attack capability, missile-hosting nations, nuclear escalation, Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement, EDCA, Typhon Weapon System, TWS, Tomahawk cruise missile, US army, Block Va, naval targets, Cesar Basa Air Base, Luzon, Antonio Bautista Air Base, Palawan, Taiwan Strait, short-range ballistic missile rounds, medium-range ballistic missile, launcher, Okinawa, missile batteries, strike volume, DF-26, Guam, surface combatants, amphibious assault ships, 2+2 ministerial dialogue, 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue, Marcos Jr., Philippine sea, joint patrols, South China Sea, intelligence-sharing framework, joint jet fighter exercises, Bilateral Defense Guidelines, missile-hosting agreement, Post-INF Indo-Pacific: The strategic potential of US-Philippines cooperation, Rupert Schulenburg, Philippines, United States, South Korea, Japan, Indo-Pacific, Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty, RAND Corporation, Rodrigo Duterte

Quiet for a change: the Marcos approach so far

Written by Angelica Mangahas

When it comes to China, Marcos has been more provocative than Duterte but also more discreet than Aquino.

Pernicious anti-politics — illiberal “Unity” and the future of dissent in the Philippines

Written by Anthony Lawrence Borja

We must remember that Marcos Jr.’s pernicious anti-politics, veiled by both his rhetoric of unity and silence on controversial political issues, has resonated with many Filipinos.

Editor's Picks9DLSeptember 16, 20229DASHLINE, Pernicious anti-politics — illiberal “Unity” and the future of dissent in the Philippines, Anthony Lawrence Borja, Philippines, anti-politics, Commission on the Filipino Language, Komisyon sa Wikang Filipino, KWF, Carmelita Abdurahman, Benjamin Mendillo, Marcos, Marcos Jr, Ferdinand Marcos, Ferdinand Marcos Jr, Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Duterte, Rodrigo Duterte, Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020, Arthur Casanova, free speech, freedom of expression, authoritarianism, unity, democratic, democracy, President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., human rights, Filipino, Filipinos, Chantal Mouffe, Hannah Arendt, anti-political, intolerance, plurality, repression, opposition, dissent, politics of division, mareklamo, panay reklamo, anti-communist, Red-Tagging, middle class, Marco Garrido, freedom of speech, Susan Ople, leader-nation-state, inauguration, protester, protest, State of the Nation address, Marcos Sr., Drug War, Martial Law, Duterte’s Drug War, National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict, (NTF-ELCAC), Pamumulitika, Pinulitika

Marcos Jr.’s Philippine foreign policy: What it means for the Indo-Pacific

Written by Joshua Bernard Espeña

It is unlikely that Manila will join Washington in balancing against Beijing — Marcos Jr has already made this clear. Neither will the country bandwagon with Beijing given domestic pressures driven by fears over creeping Chinese influence.

Pacific9DLMay 13, 2022Marcos Jr.’s Philippine foreign policy: What it means for the Indo-Pacific, Joshua Bernard Espeña, Philippines, China, United States, US, Bongbong, Marcos Jr, Indo-Pacific, South China Sea, Cold War, Filipino, Rodrigo Duterte, Manila, Washington, Philippinedisation, Solomon Islands, Belt and Road Initiative, BRI, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Pakistan, Taiwan, Quad, Australia, AUKUS, Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, Build Back Better World, Beijing, 2016 arbitral ruling, Association of the Southeast Asian Nations, ASEAN, Code of Conduct, COC, ASEAN-China Code of Conduct, Chinese Coast Guard, International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea, COLREGS, COVID-19, pandemic, Debt Trap, Sri Lanka, Hambantota Port, Ned Price, US State Department, Enhanced Defence Cooperation Agreement, EDCA, People’s Liberation Army-Navy, International Development Security Cooperation, Rise of Philippinedization: Philippinedization

One Duterte replaces another as family politics continues to dominate in the Philippines

Written by Daniel Bruno Davis

While vice presidents in the Philippines don’t have much power, Sara’s political future is tied more than ever to the success of Marcos. Their alliance produced big electoral wins for both of them. If Marcos remains popular as president her star will continue to rise.