Primary Landing Page

Op-eds

ANU Philippines Institute News

Op-eds
MOA signing between the national government and MILF in Camp Darapanan, 31 August 2026
The Respair Foundation

The Bangsamoro’s unfinished peace

As the Bangsamoro transition concludes with inaugural parliamentary elections on 14 September 2026, the region remains in a delicate political, economic and security balance.
Young woman
https://www.9dashline.com/article/navigating-our-future-together-the-philippines-as-a-gender-equality-champion-abroad-work-in-progress-at-home

Navigating our future together? The Philippines as a gender equality champion abroad, work in progress at home

It is chairship, not chairmanship. In 2026, the Philippines is setting the tone for how it intends to lead ASEAN “with unity, clarity, and purpose” by modelling the use of gender-inclusive language.
Floods in the Philippines
East Asia Forum / https://eastasiaforum.org/2025/12/02/accountability-washed-away-in-philippine-flood-control-corruption/

Accountability washed away in Philippine flood control corruption

Annual flood project corruption costs the Philippines billions. Rolled-back reforms and poor oversight lead to substandard work, worsening disasters. The public demands accountability and the return of stolen funds.
ANTI-CORRUPTION PROTEST, ATENEO DE MANILA UNIVERSITY, 21 SEPTEMBER 2025
PHOTO: Prince Nathaniel Del Rosario / https://www.newmandala.org/corruption-compromises-climate-resilience-in-the-philippines/

Corruption compromises climate resilience in the Philippines

The political economy of kickbacks keeps climate strategy fixated on physical infrastructure, neglecting investments in environmental policy and social safety nets that will help communities cope with climate impacts.
Sara Duterte
AIIA

From People Power to Polarisation: International accountability, Electoralism, and an Impeachment in the Philippines

Promises of People Power has given way to elite rivalries and political survivalism. As the Duterte-Marcos alliance fractures, impeachment battles and electoral manoeuvres expose the deep polarisation of Philippine democracy.
Protests in the Philippines. People holding posters saying 'Bring PRRD Home'
Source: Getty/ https://carnegieendowment.org/posts/2025/03/polarized-opinion-the-arrest-of-duterte?lang=en

Polarized Opinion: The Arrest of Duterte

The arrest of the former president for extrajudicial killings under the guise of his administration’s war on drugs campaign has been hailed abroad as a rare win for justice, but domestic reaction in the Philippines is deeply divided.
President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., receive a formal welcome from Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese at the ASEAN-Australia Summit in Melbourne
Presidential Communications Office, Government of Philippines / https://t.ly/Op6Lb

Geopolitical rivalry as hypermasculinity contests: The case of Australia-Philippines Strategic Partnership

The Australian-Filipino strategic partnership is contrived in hypermasculine terms. What we are witnessing is hypermasculine envy and competition over who has more power and dominion to control.
Australia's Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. pose for a photo after signing the Memorandum of Understanding during his visit at the Malacanang Presidential Palace in Manila, Philippines, 8 September 2023.
Photo: Reuters/Earvin Perias/Pool

Australia and the Philippines transforming shared values into real progress

Australia–Philippines relations received a significant boost during Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s visit to the Philippines in early September 2023 — marking the first visit by an Australian prime minister since 2003.
ANALYSIS: The most complicated dispute in the world
Image from full article at: https://www.rappler.com/voices/thought-leaders/analysis-the-most-complicated-dispute-in-the-world/

ANALYSIS: The most complicated dispute in the world

The core of the South China Sea dispute is China’s nine, now ten-dash line, which encloses about 85.7% of the South China Sea. China’s ten-dash line has a dual purpose, as a maritime claim and as a territorial claim.
Jozilieia Daniza Jagso Inacio Jacodson Schild, Puyr dos Santos Tembe and Shirley Adilson Silva, Indigenous members of the Brazilian APIB association, at Cop26 in Glasgow, Scotland, November 2021.
Yves Herman/Reuters

We need more female leaders in the fight against climate change

Globally, only 26 women serve as heads of government and state. Progress has been made to increase women’s participation in Cop events, but gender parity in climate leadership is estimated to be achieved only in 2068.
Marcos Macho Feature
Ezra Acayan / POOL / AFP

Marcos Jr. and the Dangers of Virtual Hypermasculinity

Marcos Jr. may appear less threatening than Rodrigo Duterte to Philippine democracy but that is because the threat is shifting online.

ANU Philippines Institute News

On
Ratchada Train Night Market, Bangkok
Ratchada Train Night Market, Bangkok by aotaro, Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license

Call for Papers: ANU Southeast Asia Institute Student Research Symposium
Submissions close on Friday 20 September. Accepted applicants will be expected to write and present full-length (5000-word) papers at the Symposium. 
Dr Merlinda Bobis (left) and Alvin Yapan (right)
ANU Philippines Institute

Language is the soul of a culture: ANU Philippines Institute hosts its first film screening with Alvin Yapan
Last Thursday, the ANU Philippines Institute was proud to host its first film night, screening the film 'Hulagway' (images) followed by a Q&A with film director Alvin Yapan.
from left to right: Bart Hogeveen, Bjoern Dressel, Hugh Watson, Mark Manantan, Amanda H A Watson, Catherine Bridges
Luka Vertessey

Reimagining cyber capacity-building in Southeast Asia - seminar and panel discussion
Last Wednesday, an expert panel shared their views on the increasing need for cyber capacity-building initiatives to achieve lasting impact and sustainability in Southeast Asia and the Indo-Pacific
Secretary Manalo stands with ANU Philippines Institute director Björn Dressel and visiting Secretary for Southeast Asia and Global Partners in DFAT Michelle Chan.
Luka Vertessy ANU College of Asia Pacific

CAP welcomes Philippines Secretary for Foreign Affairs amid development of historic Strategic Partnership
Philippines Secretary for Foreign Affairs, the Hon. Enrique A. Manalo, was welcomed by the ANU College of Asia and the Pacific’s newly established Philippines Institute for a round-table discussion.
Esguerra Talk - ANU

Filipino Journalists’ Struggle: From Duterte Populism to Marcosian Nostalgia
Last Tuesday, Christian Esguerra presented on the situation of the Philippine press under Marcos Jr., after Dutertes's six-year presidency, which saw infringements on the freedom of the press.
Relaunch of the PSG
Marlene Tucker, PAA Vice-President

Relaunch of the Philippine Studies Group Seminar
Together with the ANU Philippines Institute, the Philippine Australian Association of the ACT hosted the relaunch of the Philippine Studies Group, showcasing Dr Catherine Midel Deen's research.
Pacific Institute Launch. top-down view of food table with guests

Philippines Institute Launch
Last Friday, ANU academics, students, public sector representatives, and distinguished members of the diplomatic community united to celebrate the launch of the ANU Philippines Institute.

Southeast Asianists: Scholarly Profile – Trailer
The 'Southeast Asianists: Scholarly Profile' trailer is here. It is three days until the ANU Southeast Asia Institute's eight-episode interview series is released. Join us for the launch on Sept 7.