https://www.scmp.com/rss/522435/feed International Development and Security Cooperation (IDSC): A Manila-based think tank, IDSC is founded and presided over by Dr. Chester Cabalza, a prominent professor and "father of security anthropology" in Southeast Asia. Its primary mission is to address development and security issues, advising national leaders, multinational companies, and embassies on defence and security matters. IDSC’s main activities include extensive research, publishing in security studies, and advising senior military... en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Sam Beltran Sam Beltran Manila is following its Southeast Asian neighbours’ lead by seeking talks with Iran to secure safe passage for Philippine-bound tankers through the Strait of Hormuz, a move observers have called “a matter of survival”. Philippine Foreign Affairs Secretary Theresa Lazaro posted on social media that she and energy secretary Sharon Garin had met Iran’s envoy Yousef Esmaeilzadeh on Wednesday to discuss energy cooperation and the advancement of bilateral ties. “Pleased to meet Iranian Ambassador to... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3348701/philippines-seeks-iran-talks-safe-passage-vessels-through-hormuz-amid-energy-crisis?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3348701/philippines-seeks-iran-talks-safe-passage-vessels-through-hormuz-amid-energy-crisis?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 01 Apr 2026 12:55:31 +0000 Sam Beltran Sam Beltran The Philippines is seeking broader defence cooperation with Nato’s European members, even as US President Donald Trump remains critical of the transatlantic security alliance’s lack of involvement over the Middle East war. While some observers say the move dovetails with the long-standing security partnership between the Philippines and the United States, Nato’s dominant member, others argue that Manila could face a “strategic dilemma” if its ties with the 32-member alliance are contrary to... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3348203/why-philippines-may-face-strategic-dilemma-over-nato-partnership-us-demands?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3348203/why-philippines-may-face-strategic-dilemma-over-nato-partnership-us-demands?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 27 Mar 2026 13:29:06 +0000 Sam Beltran Sam Beltran Even as the Philippines thrashes through the throes of an energy crisis born of the Iran war, Filipinos themselves largely appear uninterested in blaming the man who started it. Instead of Donald Trump, public ire has instead coalesced around Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr and his administration for failing to quell soaring prices. Fuel costs have rocketed across the archipelago since the United States and Israel first struck Iran on February 28, following the near-total closure of... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3348025/trump-stays-popular-philippines-despite-iran-war-fuel-crisis?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3348025/trump-stays-popular-philippines-despite-iran-war-fuel-crisis?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 26 Mar 2026 12:32:13 +0000 Jeoffrey Maitem Jeoffrey Maitem Washington and its allies are drawing up plans to establish an ammunition production facility in the Philippines, a move critics warn would turn the Southeast Asian nation into a logistics arm of US “warmongering”. The proposal emerged last week from the Partnership for Indo-Pacific Industrial Resilience (PIPIR), a US-led initiative founded in 2024 to reduce supply chain vulnerabilities and help allies produce and sustain military equipment closer to potential flashpoints. Members agreed to... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3347561/us-eyes-philippine-ammo-facility-opposition-warns-warmongering?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3347561/us-eyes-philippine-ammo-facility-opposition-warns-warmongering?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 23 Mar 2026 08:00:15 +0000 Raissa Robles Raissa Robles A visiting forces military deal to be signed between the Philippines and France has put the focus on “operational intimacy”, with observers noting that Paris has a presence in the Indo-Pacific and would serve Manila’s interests well in the contested waters of the South China Sea. The term was coined by French Ambassador to Manila Marie Fontanel, during a freewheeling discussion on Tuesday at her residence. In a bid to balance the implications of the alliance – a first for the Philippines with a... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3340187/philippines-france-near-defence-pact-boost-operational-intimacy-contested-waters?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3340187/philippines-france-near-defence-pact-boost-operational-intimacy-contested-waters?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 16 Jan 2026 10:38:13 +0000 Sam Beltran Sam Beltran South Korea’s growing role as a key arms supplier to the Philippines has taken another step forward, with Hanwha Systems set to provide the “brain” that will run two of the Philippine Navy’s next-generation warships. The South Korean defence manufacturer said on Wednesday that it had secured a US$27.7 million contract to supply combat management systems (CMS) and tactical data links for two 3,200-tonne frigates being built for the Philippine Navy. A CMS integrates a warship’s sensors, weapons... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3338489/hanwha-combat-systems-deal-deepens-south-koreas-role-philippine-defence?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3338489/hanwha-combat-systems-deal-deepens-south-koreas-role-philippine-defence?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 02 Jan 2026 08:00:11 +0000 Raissa Robles Raissa Robles Washington is set to deepen its defence support for the Philippines after approving billions of dollars for a loan and a grant to its Southeast Asian ally next year to counter what an American senator has called “serious threats” from China and its partners. Philippine defence officials have welcomed the approval by the House and Senate in Washington as further evidence of the US commitment to their alliance, even as analysts caution that the bill under the US National Defence Authorisation Act... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3336962/philippines-get-us35-billion-defence-aid-counter-serious-threats?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3336962/philippines-get-us35-billion-defence-aid-counter-serious-threats?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 18 Dec 2025 14:11:49 +0000 Jeoffrey Maitem Jeoffrey Maitem The Philippine Army has rolled out a locally developed remote weapons system that officials said would boost troop protection while advancing Manila’s push to build a self-reliant defence industry amid limited manpower and resources. The Controller Operated Battle-Ready Armament (Cobra) was formally turned over to the Department of National Defence on Thursday at the Army Armour Division headquarters in Camp O’Donnell, Capas, Tarlac, following two years of development led by the Department of... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3336746/why-philippine-army-turning-locally-built-remote-weapons-systems?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3336746/why-philippine-army-turning-locally-built-remote-weapons-systems?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 17 Dec 2025 08:00:13 +0000 Sam Beltran Sam Beltran An Italian defence company’s push to sell Eurofighter Typhoon jets to the Philippines could open the door to broader cooperation between Rome and Manila, with analysts calling the aircraft a promising choice for the country’s military modernisation. Leonardo, a government-linked company, said it was committed to investing in the Philippines’ defence capabilities for the long term and offered to provide training, technology transfer and related facilities as part of the deal. The company is... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3336282/will-philippines-favour-eurofighter-typhoon-its-military-upgrade?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3336282/will-philippines-favour-eurofighter-typhoon-its-military-upgrade?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 13 Dec 2025 05:00:09 +0000 Sam Beltran Sam Beltran Asean has signed its first region-wide extradition treaty, a move observers see as a long-overdue step to close legal loopholes that have allowed fugitives to slip across borders and evade arrest. Analysts say the Asean Treaty on Extradition will plug a major gap in cooperation by creating uniform rules across a region struggling with cybercrime, human trafficking and online scams that increasingly operate across jurisdictions. Member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations signed... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3333326/asean-unifies-under-single-extradition-treaty-fight-organised-crime?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3333326/asean-unifies-under-single-extradition-treaty-fight-organised-crime?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 19 Nov 2025 02:30:09 +0000 Zhao Ziwen Zhao Ziwen A new defence pact between Tokyo and Manila allows the Japanese military to deploy in the Philippines for the first time since World War II – with the goal of deterring Beijing in the South China Sea. Analysts said the “quasi-security alliance” – which took effect in September and is known as a reciprocal access agreement – could harden Manila’s stance in the contested waters, and that other US allies in the region could follow suit. Ding Duo, an associate research fellow at the National... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3332807/how-japan-philippines-defence-pact-could-become-template-deter-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3332807/how-japan-philippines-defence-pact-could-become-template-deter-china?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 16 Nov 2025 04:00:09 +0000 Sam Beltran Sam Beltran As it prepares to assume the Asean chairmanship, the Philippines’ courting of the bloc’s newest member, East Timor, signals its intent to secure a new ally in promoting maritime security among the 11-strong grouping of nations. But analysts suggest the budding partnership is more symbolic than strategic, with the Philippines playing more of a mentor role to the newcomer. On the sidelines of a meeting of defence chiefs following the Association of Southeast Asian Nations summit in Kuala Lumpur on... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3332130/philippines-charts-new-course-asean-courting-east-timor-south-china-sea-ally?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3332130/philippines-charts-new-course-asean-courting-east-timor-south-china-sea-ally?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 10 Nov 2025 01:29:04 +0000 Sam Beltran Sam Beltran The Philippines and Canada are set to sign a visiting forces agreement permitting joint drills and troop deployments on each other’s soil amid China’s expanding regional influence. Canadian Minister of National Defence David McGuinty will be in Manila on Sunday to hold bilateral meetings with Philippine Defence Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jnr and sign the agreement, according to an advisory released by the Philippine Department of National Defence on Wednesday. The signing of the agreement... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3331029/canada-philippines-deepen-military-ties-new-joint-forces-pact-amid-china-concerns?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3331029/canada-philippines-deepen-military-ties-new-joint-forces-pact-amid-china-concerns?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 31 Oct 2025 06:09:29 +0000 Jeoffrey Maitem Jeoffrey Maitem South Korea’s leading aircraft manufacturer has said it is in talks with the Philippines for more deals following an aerial show featuring the prowess of one of its newest multirole fighter jets near Seoul. Spectators filled the Seoul Air Base in Seongnam in Gyeonggi Province for the Seoul International Aerospace & Defence Exhibition 2025, with the Republic of Korea Air Force showcasing the capabilities of the KF-21 Boramae, developed by Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI), over the skies of the... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3330423/philippines-talks-buy-more-south-korean-fighter-jets-aircraft-maker-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3330423/philippines-talks-buy-more-south-korean-fighter-jets-aircraft-maker-says?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 27 Oct 2025 04:14:58 +0000 Sam Beltran Sam Beltran Manila and Beijing are working on a coastguard cooperation pact as part of efforts to manage recurring flashpoints in the disputed South China Sea, but observers say the step may not be enough to prevent conflict or build lasting trust. Department of Foreign Affairs Secretary Maria Theresa Lazaro told the Senate on Tuesday last week that the proposed plan aimed to “reach a conclusion … an MOU for them [coastguards] on certain issues that involve both sides”. Lazaro said she hoped that the... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3329567/philippines-beijing-eye-coastguard-deal-calm-south-china-sea-tensions-will-it-work?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3329567/philippines-beijing-eye-coastguard-deal-calm-south-china-sea-tensions-will-it-work?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 20 Oct 2025 00:00:13 +0000 Sam Beltran Sam Beltran The Philippines must move decisively beyond routine diplomatic protests in the face of China’s latest assertion of control over Scarborough Shoal, a retired Supreme Court justice has warned, as Beijing’s declaration of a vast marine nature reserve in contested waters deepens fears over regional stability and Philippine sovereignty. “China’s declaration raises the issue of what state has sovereignty over Bajo de Masinloc – the Philippines or China,” Antonio Carpio, an ex-Supreme Court senior... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3325842/philippines-urged-act-china-cements-control-over-scarborough-shoal?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3325842/philippines-urged-act-china-cements-control-over-scarborough-shoal?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 17 Sep 2025 07:57:05 +0000 Sam Beltran Sam Beltran South Korean President Lee Jae-myung has ordered the suspension of a proposed 700 billion won (US$503 million) infrastructure loan for a bridge-building project in the Philippines due to corruption concerns, even though Manila insists no such agreement was ever signed. Seoul’s decision has raised questions about investor confidence in the Philippines, where a sprawling corruption scandal over flood control projects has already shaken public trust. The optics of a key partner pulling back over... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3325312/south-korea-suspends-us503-million-loan-philippines-over-corruption-fears?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3325312/south-korea-suspends-us503-million-loan-philippines-over-corruption-fears?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 12 Sep 2025 07:02:24 +0000 Laura Zhou Laura Zhou China’s designation of a national nature reserve in the contested Scarborough Shoal – and its punitive measures for unauthorised entry – have prompted strong pushback from the Philippines, with analysts warning the move could escalate tensions in the strategically important waterway. Beijing’s announcement of the decision on Wednesday marked its latest efforts to consolidate its claims in the contested area that is now a focal point of intense confrontations between the two countries and could... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3325243/why-chinas-new-plan-bolster-its-south-china-sea-claims-has-manila-worried?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3325243/why-chinas-new-plan-bolster-its-south-china-sea-claims-has-manila-worried?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 12 Sep 2025 02:00:22 +0000 Sam Beltran Sam Beltran The Philippines is repositioning its historic Subic Bay shipyard as a cornerstone of both its own defence industry and Washington’s naval expansion plans, analysts say, at a time of sharpening US-China tensions and with Manila seeking to revitalise its economy. Speaking to business leaders in Washington on Thursday, Philippine Ambassador to the US Jose Manuel Romualdez pitched the Agila Subic Shipyard – once a bustling hub for a subsidiary of South Korea’s Hanjin Heavy Industries, now under new... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3322180/philippines-subic-bay-play-aims-anchor-us-naval-strategy-asia?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3322180/philippines-subic-bay-play-aims-anchor-us-naval-strategy-asia?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 18 Aug 2025 03:56:16 +0000 Zhao Ziwen Zhao Ziwen More tension is expected in the South China Sea following a collision between two Chinese vessels, with analysts predicting the incident was likely to prompt Beijing to further increase its presence in the contested waterway. Experts also warned that the incident could push China to enhance coordination between its navy and coastguard to prevent similar accidents in future. On Monday, Manila claimed that a China Coast Guard vessel sustained severe damage to its bow after colliding with a larger... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3321617/collision-between-chinese-ships-expected-escalate-tension-south-china-sea?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3321617/collision-between-chinese-ships-expected-escalate-tension-south-china-sea?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 13 Aug 2025 02:00:16 +0000 Sam Beltran Sam Beltran China pledged US$30.5 billion in development aid to the Philippines between 2015 and 2023 – the most for any Southeast Asian country – but only a sliver of that funding ever arrived, according to new data from an Australian think tank report. Of the total pledged, just US$700 million was actually disbursed – a shortfall analysts attribute to derailed infrastructure projects, changing political winds in Manila and rising tensions with Beijing. These factors have not only stalled flagship ventures... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3319654/china-promised-philippines-billions-development-aid-why-did-it-fall-so-short?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3319654/china-promised-philippines-billions-development-aid-why-did-it-fall-so-short?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 25 Jul 2025 13:51:03 +0000 Sam Beltran Sam Beltran Filipinos who once worked for offshore gaming operators are turning to online scams, law enforcement officials have warned, amid signs that the industry’s shutdown has given way to a more fragmented and harder-to-police criminal landscape. Many of those recently arrested for cybercrime offences had “branched out on their own”, using skills they had gained while working at Philippine offshore gaming operators (Pogos), according to Brigadier General Bernard Yang, head of the Philippine National... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3316075/ex-pogo-workers-fuel-rise-philippine-online-scams-police-say?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3316075/ex-pogo-workers-fuel-rise-philippine-online-scams-police-say?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 27 Jun 2025 09:29:35 +0000