API podcast

From Coast Guard and Navy ships to research and fishing boats, Chinese vessels have increased presence within the Philippines' exclusive economic zones since the past month. To add fuel to the flame, China's envoy to Manila Jing Quan's remarks last October 15 verged on what the Philippine government considered as a "veiled threat"How far will China's provocation go before...

For 2027, the Department of Budget and Management has allotted a ₱324.632 billion budget for the defense sector, a slight bump from last year. However, this is still a drop from its proposed P572.78 billion budget proposal submitted by the Department of National Defense (DND). This leaves little room for the modernization program, which is already behind schedule and nearing its 2028 deadline. Is...

Despite America's promises of remaining engaged in the Indo-Pacific, the Philippines and other nations remain on edge after the US announced it will be scaling back its military exercises with South Korea. Is it high time to consider other options -- such as reviving the SEATO or hedging on middle powers to counter China's ICAD tactics? In the latest episode of API Podcast, Pulitzer Prize...

It has been 10 years since the UNCLOS international tribunal ruled in favor of the Philippines over the contested waters in the South China Sea, invalidating China's sweeping maritime claims over the resource-rich waters. However, the battle has been far from over. From gray zone tactics to ICAD (Illegal, Coercive, Aggressive, and Deceptive), and now a publication of an AI-generated racist vid...

Earlier last week US President Donald Trump announced that they have reached an agreement with Iran, but everyone still remained on edge. And as America continues to be preoccupied in the Middle East, it's no surprise that its traditional defense allies are looking elsewhere to make sure their bases are covered. The Philippines is no exception. In a span of a few weeks, Philippine President Fe...

Last Friday, the Philippines and its six allies have concluded yet again the "biggest" iteration of Exercise Balikatan 2026. We've sat down again with API resident columnists, security expert Ret. Col. Dencio Acop and veteran defense journalist Rodney Jaleco to discuss the latest additions to the multi-domain, multilateral exercises. Forty-one iterations later, what has the Philippin...

A month into the US-Iran conflict, and there's no end in sight. Beyond fuel supply and essential goods shortages due to the blocking of the Strait of Hormuz, how else is the hostilities in the Middle East affecting the rest of the world? In the latest episode of API Podcast, resident columnists security expert Ret. Col. Dencio Acop and veteran defense journalist Rodney Jaleco share their thoug...

Last February 16, US and Philippine officials met in Manila for the 12th Bilateral Strategic Dialogue (BSD), an annal platform where both sides discuss political, security and economic collaboration. The latest BSD placed more importance on security, particularly strengthening US-PH alliance to re-establish America’s dominance in the Indo-Pacific region. What exactly did the US promise? In the sev...

2025 ended with conflicts in South America, the Middle East, and Eastern Europe still far from over. Will we more countries join the fray in the coming months? For the first podcast episode for the year, we're joined again by API resident columnists, Ret. Col. Dencio Acop and veteran journalist Rodney Jaleco, to look into the biggest security issues the world will face in 2026.Visit https://as...

It has been a busy, exciting and eventful year! For our last podcast episode for the year, we are joined again by our resident columnists, Ret. Col. Dencio Acop, and veteran defense reporter Rodney Jaleco to discuss some key highlights in Philippine politics and the recently-released National Security Strategy. Where does the Philippines stand in America's NSS and what awaits us in 2026? What...

In November, US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth announced the formation of the Task Force Philippines. But what value does the Task Force actually add to the already robust military alliance between the Philippines and US? And how would this impact China's posturing in the region? In the fourth episode of API Podcast, we meet again with our resident columnist veteran journalist Rodney Jaleco to...

How is the corruption and misappropriation of government budget affecting Philippine defense?  In the third episode of API Podcast, we meet again with our resident columnists veteran journalist Rodney Jaleco and security expert Ret. Col Dencio Acop to discuss the impact of corruption and the complicity of some military officers on Philippine external security.  We also explore how China benefits f...

Last month, a Chinese Coast Guard cutter and People's Liberation Army Navy destroyer collided in its attempts to pursue a Philippine patrol vessel near Bajo de Masinloc (Scarborough Shoal). Is China's deployment of navy ships a sign of escalating tensions in the West Philippines sea? In the second episode of API Podcast, we're discussing China’s ICAD (illegal, coercive, aggressive, and...

In the first-ever episode of API Podcast, we're delving into an increasingly common trend in warfare: the use of drones and unmanned vehicles. We're joined by a former Philippine Army intelligence colonel and West Point graduate, Dennis Acop, and veteran defense reporter, Rodney Jaleco, who will be sharing their insights on how the Philippines should approach the use of drones in its deter...