In exile

This is the bleaker side of ASEAN that often goes unseen.

- Annie Perez

In every meeting, leaders perform the ASEAN handshake, arms and hands interlocked in symbolic unity. Yet the reality on the ground does not always reflect that gesture. Border tensions persist, such as those between Thailand and Cambodia, reminding us that solidarity has limits. The Philippines, for its part, is largely spared from hosting refugees because of geographical constraints, but we continue to battle our own border issues. Most notably, this is our struggle to assert ownership over the West Philippine Sea.