Spratlys Archives

Chinese buildup amid COVID-19: Little protest from government and media

THE PHILIPPINE government did not seem to be aware that China had constructed two research facilities in Kagitingan and Zamora Reefs in the West Philippine Sea, and had established... Read more

Duterte in Beijing Again: Little Info, Less Analysis

FOLLOWING THE magnitude 6.1 earthquake that rocked parts of Luzon and Visayas, President Rodrigo Duterte’s attendance in the Belt and Road Forum in Beijing from April 25 to 27... Read more

From Friend to Foe? Duterte Criticizing China on Treatment of PH Military

Screengrab from Inquirer.net. On July 31, the Associated Press (AP) reported that Philippine military aircraft patrolling over the Spratlys within the West Philippine Sea had received at least 46... Read more

Calling Out the Failure to Respond to Chinese Bombers in the South China Sea

SILENCE CAN be louder than sound itself. On May 18, Chinese strategic bombers, including the top-of-the-line H-6K, had been reported to conduct take-off and landing exercises on Woody... Read more

Plane-Spotting: Photos to Keep Tabs on China’s Incursion in PH Waters

CHEERS TO the Philippine Daily Inquirer and GMA-7 for keeping track of the continuing Chinese activity in the West Philippine Sea through photos (See: “Inquirer Photos Cannot Lie”). On... Read more

Inquirer Photos Cannot Lie

PRESIDENT RODRIGO Duterte’s decision to set aside sweeping victory of the Philippines in the arbitration case over areas of West Philippine Sea was presented as a strategic approach... Read more

Victory at The Hague: Reporting the PCA Ruling

THE MUCH-AWAITED ruling on the Philippine complaint against China over the latter’s intrusions into Philippine waters was finally handed down on Thursday, July 12, by the Hague-based Permanent Court... Read more

Reporting the South China Sea Dispute: Lack of context still at issue

Associate Justice Carpio’s public lecture provided the necessary historical and empirical context to shed light on the causes of the dispute and explained the significant stakes involved and the... Read more

The public and foreign policy

FOREIGN POLICY news do not carry a lot of weight in the news agenda. People generally think that the issues usually couched in diplomatic jargon as too nuanced for... Read more

PJR Reports September – October 2011

Editor’s Note: FOCUS THE POSSIBILITY that some of the journalists who have been killed in this country since 1986 might not have been ethical, or even corrupt, isn’t exactly... Read more