International Development and Security Cooperation

18/06/2026

A traditional Tao plank canoe from Orchid Island reached the Philippines' Batan Island on Tuesday after encountering four-meter waves and strong winds in the Bashi Channel.

Canoe encountered 4-meter waves, severe flooding, and strong winds | Jun. 17, 2026 11:38

18/06/2026

The National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea (NTF-WPS) on Wednesday confirmed that a Chinese floating platform previously monitored inside the lagoon of Bajo de Masinloc (Scarborough Shoal) is no longer there.

18/06/2026

18/06/2026

Steinmeier is the first German head of state to visit the Philippines since 1963.

"We say that prosperity and security in Europe and in the Indo-Pacific are closely linked and we in our regions know how important respectful international law is," he said.

Germany will provide the Philippine Coast Guard with drones, in a move to boost defense ties between the two countries.

The German leader also expressed hope for the ambitious Free Trade Agreement between Philippines and European Union

18/06/2026

More than 50 companies, including trillion-dollar tech titans, are keen on investing at the first site tipped to be developed for the United States-led Pax Silica initiative at New Clark City in Tarlac, according to Joshua Bingcang, president and CEO of the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA).

Bases Conversion and Development Authority President and Chief Executive Officer Joshua M. Bingcang gestures during a roundtable discussions at Philippine Daily Inquirer Office, Makati City, June 16,

17/06/2026

IDSC fellows write their piece for international publications!

10 June 2026, NIICE Commentary 12534 Kim Wilhelm Perez & Amadeus Quiaoit Critical Standpoint of the Regional Status Quo With Taiwan's main opposition party, the Kuomintang (KMT) made a rare visit to the People's Republic of China (PRC) on 10 April 2026, with a so-called party-to-party diplomacy betw...

17/06/2026

Chester Cabalza, president of the Manila-based think tank International Development and Security Cooperation, said the shutdown of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) in February 2025 had shaped military-driven missions like the Pacific Partnership “as an in-depth anchor of American soft power in the region”.

“The US Navy’s Pacific Partnership comes at a time as Washington flexes its soft power instrument for America’s renewed pivot to Southeast Asia,” Cabalza said, noting that the annual voyage “aims to counter China’s rising hard and soft powers in the region to secure a free and open Indo-Pacific”.

Cabalza described the effort as a “non-coercive mission” that “provides a depoliticised entry to the China-leaning region”.

“This oceanic navigation and naval diplomacy sustains enduring US presence without diplomatic friction and backlash from maritime Southeast Asian nations,” he said, calling the region the “geopolitical heart” of the Indo-Pacific as it was home to emerging economies and the world’s maritime chokepoints.

Pacific Partnership 2026 aims to counter China’s rising influence in the region, amid growing doubts about US leadership, analysts say.

17/06/2026

Pax Silica is a strategic coalition launched by the United States in late 2025 to strengthen allied control over technologies considered essential to economic and national security.

Why the Philippines could become a critical link in America’s AI, chip supply chain

16/06/2026

Asia gaining traction! Should be! Shining!

Hello again Asians, it's time!! Read 👇
the Recording Academy added a specific Asian music category for the 2027 awards.

The new category is officially named Best Asian Pop Music Performance.

Details of the Award

What it covers: It recognizes artistic excellence in performances originating from or widely recognized within Asian markets. This includes genres like K-pop, J-pop, and C-pop.

Language requirements: The recording must feature meaningful use of one or more Asian languages. Recordings performed entirely in English are not eligible.

Award recipients: The award is presented directly to the performing artist(s).

Other New Categories Added

Alongside the Asian Pop category, the Academy added four other new awards to broaden their global and genre reach:

Best Latin Song

Best Traditional Pop Vocal Performance

Best R&B Collaboration or Duo/Group Performance

Best Traditional Folk Album

16/06/2026

Geopolitical security analyst Chester Cabalza said the floating platform raised concern because of its location at Scarborough Shoal and the wider pattern of Chinese activity in disputed waters.

Cabalza, founding president of the Manila-based International Development and Security Cooperation think tank, said the Philippines still had “multipronged options”, including diplomatic demarches and appeals to international law.

But he warned that any attempt to physically remove or disable the platform would carry serious risks. “Actual military strikes carry the immediate risk of escalating the Trojan horse into a full-scale regional conflict,” Cabalza said. “The question is, are we ready for the consequences?”

Observers say Beijing could be using its ‘old playbook’ of deploying scientific activities to boost military presence in the South China Sea.