n his book “The New Rules of War” Professor Sean McFate describes the post-WWII era as a period of “durable disorder.” He cites the following evidence to support his finding: increasing challenges on the “rules-based” world order; rising number of “fragile” or “failed” states; half of the countries in the world are experiencing some form of conflict; armed conflicts today…
Conflicting island and Maritime claims are the subject matters for the South China Sea (SCS) territorial disputes. The sovereign states involved are some ASEAN nations; outside ASEAN would be Taiwan and China. An estimated 3.37 Trillion worth of global trade passes though SCS annually which accounts for a third of the global maritime trade 80mpercent of China’s energy imports and…
The first time I came across the term “dangerous ground” was during my sea phase training in September 1976 on board BRP Rizal, a fleet minesweeper, when the ship conducted resupply of the marines deployed in Spratlys. The nautical charts then were blueprint copies but one could not miss the words “dangerous ground” printed in the charts in bold letters….
Before Congress abrogated the 1947 RP-US Military Bases Agreement (MBA) the maintenance of most of the country’s defense equipment depended on the American logistics system. Some combatant ships and aircrafts were sent overseas for depot maintenance. Most spares came in handy with a robust supply system. In the 1960s the nation’s air force, with its Blue Diamond unit, and navy,…
A Chinese fishing vessel appears in a sensitive location —near the Senkaku Islands in the East China Sea, a South China Sea reef, or just offshore from a U.S. military base. Is it an “ordinary” fishing boat, or is it maritime militia? This straightforward question seldom yields straightforward answers. China does not publish a roster of maritime militia boats. That…
It would be best to assume that the U.S. would not respond immediately and militarily … A David armed with a sling shot poised to hurl stones at Goliath is a Biblical lore. The presence of an alarmingly big number of Chinese ships, as many as 250+, of which 40 were spotted on 21-March-2021 anchored at Juan Felipe Reef or…
Early this year on February 11, the President announced the termination of the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) in response to the suspension by the U.S. of visas of certain Philippine officials in the Department of Justice and an incumbent senator. The suspension would have taken effect 180 days later. On June 11, in a reversal of position, the government, citing…
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As an archipelagic State, the Philippines’ maritime interests go beyond the West Philippine Sea / South China Sea, although it usually gets the most public attention. While promoting and protecting the rights of the Philippines in that area, the Department of Foreign Affairs, in particular the Maritime and Ocean Affairs Office, has also been tirelessly making efforts in addressing other…
Notably preceded and followed by major military movements, I wonder what would be the impact on RP’s claim on certan islands and sea areas in the SCS. Alfred Thayer Mahan (1840-1914), graduate of the US Naval Naval Academy, wrote of the interdependence of military might and seaborne commerce, “whoever controls the sea lanes controls the islands; who controls islands controls…
Brief History Palawan’s textured history can be traced back over millions of years. Bone fragments, the skull cap remains and tools of the Tabon Man – one of the oldest remnants of human inhabitants found in the Philippines at 22,000 years old – were discovered in 1962 in the Tabon Caves in Quezon, Palawan. It is believed that these cave…
All views expressed herein are the contributor’s and do not represent the opinions of any entity whatsoever with which he has been, is now, or will be affiliated. Through Administrative Order (AO) No. 29 series of 2012 the Philippine State named the sea areas west of the Philippine archipelago as the ‘West Philippine Sea’. It is important to clarify what…