The Philippines has become the first government in the world to put its national budget on a blockchain. It offers a precedent for using the technology’s transparency and immutability to enforce fiscal accountability.
Category Archives: Commentaries
Turning Waste Into Wealth: Chinese Firms Are Expanding Into Southeast Asia
Chinese waste-to-energy companies are expanding into Southeast Asia, where the need for such services has grown.
Squeezed From Both Sides: Prabowo’s Fiscal Reckoning and Governance Implications
Indonesia’s president is caught between a rock and a hard place fiscally and politically.
Chokepoint in the Gulf: What the US-Israeli War on Iran Means For Southeast Asia’s Food Security
The effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz could push ASEAN’s farmers and food prices to the brink, but the region has options to ease some of the pressure.
Why Thailand’s Constitutional Reform May Stall
While the Thai public supports constitutional reform, the spirit is less willing within the ruling party.
Riders at Risk: Who Speaks for Thailand’s Platform Workers?
The newly formed Thai Digital Platform Trade Association (TDPA) is aligned with the commercial interests of its founding members. Thailand’s poorly protected platform workers will need to advocate for themselves.
Iran Conflict Highlights Vietnam’s Energy Security and Foreign Policy Vulnerabilities
Vietnam has limited room for manoeuvre on the energy front as supply tightens, but is proactively playing the hand it has been dealt.
Indonesia’s August-September 2025 Mass Arrests: What Do They Reflect?
Anti-government sentiment — especially online — among Indonesia’s youth has not been cowed by intimidation or arrest, but this resistance does not seem to have generated any moves toward more formal political organisation in real life.
Malaysia’s Oil Shock Absorption: Adding Agility to the Subsidy Regime
As global oil prices seesaw in the wake of war, Malaysia’s government has a chance to think ahead and reduce any potential sharp swings.
Dangers of Delay: US-Philippine Defence Cooperation in 2026
There is robust public support for EDCA and deepening US-Philippines military cooperation, but Washington and Manila must plug gaps in integrated air and missile defence and weapons access policy.