U.S.–Philippines 4,000-acre Economic Security Zone under Pax Silica is being marketed as an economic project, but the available record already shows that it is NOT merely economic. The official U.S.…
AT a time when the Philippines is grappling with an unfolding energy crisis, rising fuel costs, and deepening economic vulnerability, one would expect clarity, sobriety and strategic thinking from its…
https://youtu.be/pbxbICP3Mi4 Some friends have asked me for my thoughts on the speech delivered by Vice Premier He Lifeng at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2026 in Davos, Switzerland, which…
The signing of the China–ASEAN Free Trade Area (CAFTA) 3.0 Protocol during the 2025 Kuala Lumpur ASEAN Summit marks a historic step in the region’s economic evolution. What began in…
The recently concluded ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, marked one of the most consequential moments in the bloc’s history. For the first time since the 1990s, ASEAN expanded its…
A FEW weeks ago, I had the honor of speaking at an international conference in Phnom Penh hosted by the Royal Academy of Cambodia and organized by the International Relations…
The recent Philippine Star report that the Philippines holds the “weakest external position in Southeast Asia” is more than a statistical embarrassment. It’s a flashing red light for a country…
A RECENT Philippine Star report, citing Bank of America (BofA), stated that the Philippines holds the weakest external position in Southeast Asia. In short, the “weakest link” in Southeast Asia…
The article titled “The Philippines May Lose P30B from Zero-Tariff Deal on U.S. Goods,” published in BusinessWorld on September 17, 2025, sheds light on a controversial policy move that could…
President Donald Trump is once again dangling tariffs as his weapon of choice, this time on the semiconductor industry, the beating heart of the modern economy. Speaking aboard Air Force…