At the center of this bold strategy is the Comprehensive Archipelagic Defense Concept (CADC), a comprehensive initiative aimed at improving Manila’s military capabilities and strengthening its maritime borders.

The plan is quite ambitious; It includes significant infrastructure improvements and a significant increase in maritime and air assets. Among the most critical projects is the expansion of the airstrip on Thitu Island, known locally as Pag-asa. This modest landmass, the largest of the Spratly Islands claimed by the Philippines, could soon become a pivotal point in the struggle for sea control.

“(We are) increasing our concentration, focus and emphasis on external features to our 200 nautical mile-long exclusive economic zone,” Philippine Navy spokesman Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad said in a statement on Tuesday.

He said the implementation of the CADC was “a long-term process that will be carried out in different stages.” But this is more than just a military upgrade; This is a statement of intent.