Nation & Identity

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has asked the Philippine Congress to place anti-dynasty bills among its top priorities, a move that comes as his administration struggles to contain the damage from a widening corruption scandal and a family feud.   The timing has raised eyebrows. During the 2022 presidential campaign, Marcos said political dynasties were not necessarily bad and that voters should be free to keep families in power. Three year...

A cultural exchange event in Parañaque on November 26 celebrating historical ties between China’s Dezhou City and the Sulu Sultanate appears on the surface to be harmless heritage diplomacy. Around 500 guests attended, including Filipino-Chinese leaders and diplomats, praising the "21-generation friendship" between China and Sulu.   Yet the focus on the Sulu Sultanate, rather than the modern Philippines, has made analysts unea...

Southeast Asia is home to 11 countries and nearly 700 million people. It is a region rich in culture, language, and politics, and also one that plays a key role in the global economy.   With tensions growing between China and the United States, Southeast Asia is stuck in the middle. Can it find a way to stay united?   What is ASEAN?   The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) was created in 1967 to help countries...

With the flood control scandal still unfolding, concerns are mounting over the billions of pesos quietly added to the 2025 and 2026 draft budgets. Watchdogs say Filipinos remain in the dark about who pushed for these additional infrastructure projects and why they were included without public review, fueling growing suspicion.   Who Is Behind the Added Projects? Lawmakers and analysts say the draft 2025 budget carried around 721 billion p...

The Philippines is facing a defining moment. On November 30, thousands of citizens marched in the streets nationwide to demand accountability for a corruption crisis many say has poisoned public life for years. The Trillion Peso March in Manila brought together students, faith leaders, beauty queens, and ordinary Filipinos united by one message. They have had enough.   Public Anger Explodes as Flood Control Scandal Grows The protests were...