Philippines at Sea: How the National Maritime Council and Blue Economy Bills Can Transform Our Oceans

By Karl Garcia The Philippines is a nation defined by its waters. As an archipelagic state with thousands of islands, our seas are more than just borders—they are the backbone of our economy, the source of livelihoods for millions of fishermen, and the arena where our sovereignty is tested. Yet, for all their importance, our … Continue reading →

Filed under Ecology/Global Warming, Economy, Foreign Affairs and Defense, Laws and Ethics, Philippine Government

Filipino Political Literacy, Middle-Class Agency, and Decades of Self-Assessment

By Karl Garcia Over the past twenty years, two influential critiques of Philippine society have shaped public conversation:(1) Richard Heydarian’s 2025 observation that the Filipino middle class is “functionally literate but not politically literate,” and(2) the earlier discourse from Get Real Philippines (GRP), which framed national underperformance as rooted in cultural habits and civic attitudes. … Continue reading →

Filed under Citizenship/Patriotism, Culture and Arts, Education, Family/Parenting/Children, Governance, Philippine Government, Philippine Politics

From Shadows to Shields: The Philippines Must Finish What It Started

By Karl Garcia Photo credit Linkedin The Philippines is at war—though not in ways most people see. Cognitive, cyber, asymmetric, and incremental maritime pressures are all quietly reshaping the nation. No missiles fired, no headlines made—but sovereignty tested, minute by minute. Winning these wars demands more than warships. It demands sharper minds, stronger institutions, and … Continue reading →

Filed under China, Citizenship/Patriotism, Foreign Affairs and Defense, Governance, Philippine Government

Philippine Agriculture: Between Policy Promise and Ground Reality

By Karl Garcia In the continuing debate on food security and agricultural reform, one question keeps returning: Are our institutions, policies, and leadership truly aligned with the needs of Filipino farmers? The discussion around rice self-sufficiency, farm modernization, and climate adaptation is not new — but the urgency has deepened as farms shrink, yields plateau, … Continue reading →

Filed under Ecology/Global Warming, Economy, Governance, Laws and Ethics, Philippine Government

BCDA, EDCA, and the Geography We Cannot Escape

By Karl Garcia When the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) was created in the 1990s, it was sold as a win-win proposition: convert old U.S. military bases into economic zones, attract investment, and channel proceeds into AFP modernization. Few argued with the vision. But three decades later, the promise and the reality have drifted … Continue reading →

Filed under China, Foreign Affairs and Defense, Laws and Ethics, Philippine Government, USA/Americans