Southeast Asia Insights

Public outrage is mounting in the Philippines as investigations into so-called "ghost projects" reveal that hundreds of taxpayer-funded flood control works were never completed. The revelations come as the country faces increasingly severe flooding, a recurring crisis made worse by inadequate drainage systems and the accelerating effects of climate change.   When powerful cyclones struck in July, affecting more than six million Filipinos, ...

The rise of the internet and social media has transformed how conflicts are seen and fought. What people post online, even from thousands of miles away, can now shape events on the ground.   The September 2025 social media ban in Nepal, which sparked widespread protests and global attention, shows just how deeply digital platforms are tied to modern society. Around the world, countries are realizing that controlling their image online can ...

Southeast Asian leaders have agreed that Myanmar will not assume the chairmanship of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in 2026, breaking from the bloc’s usual rotation system. The announcement was made during the ASEAN summit in Jakarta, Indonesia in September.   Under the ASEAN Charter, the chairmanship rotates annually in alphabetical order among member states. The country holding the chair leads key summits, sets ...

As the United States raises tariffs on exports from Southeast Asia, the region faces growing economic and political pressure. These trade barriers threaten industries built on global supply chains, risk cutting manufacturing output, and could lead to job losses and weaker consumer spending.   Tariffs were once a tool of economic regulation that have increasingly become political instruments that Washington uses to shape global behavior and...

The Philippine's economy is projected to grow 5.6% in 2025 and 5.7% in 2026, according to the Asian Development Bank’s (ADB) latest "Asian Development Outlook" report from September 30. This keeps the country on track as one of Southeast Asia's fastest-growing economies, second only to Vietnam. Despite global trade uncertainty and heightened geopolitical risks, strong domestic demand, easing inflation, and sustained infrastructure spending ...