US export controls are accelerating a regional division of labour that may ultimately strengthen Southeast Asia’s semiconductor ecosystem rather than fragment it.
Author: Andrey Koval
Southeast Asia Energy Security Series: #2 The Philippines
When jeepney drivers threatened mass transport stoppages across the Philippines in early 2026, the immediate cause was clear: fuel prices had become unaffordable. Diesel prices climbed as high as 147.6 Philippine pesos (2.44 US dollar) per litre, with some locations reporting prices exceeding 170 pesos (2.82 US dollar). Around 20% of jeepney operators suspended operations, while approximately 30,000 vehicles stopped running in Metro Manila alone.