Senate ratifies Philippines-Japan military access agreement

MANILA, Philippines — The Senate has ratified the Reciprocal Access Agreement (RAA) between the Philippines and Japan, paving the way for the establishment of a legal framework for joint military training, operations and humanitarian missions as part of an overall defense cooperation between the two countries.

With 19-0-0 votes, Senate President Francis Escudero said the Senate approved on third reading Resolution 1248 on the ratification of the Philippines-Japan RAA, signed by President Marcos on Nov. 9 before its submission to the Senate for concurrence.

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) welcomed the development.

“In terms of our territorial defense posture, the RAA will bolster our maritime domain awareness capabilities through technology transfers, intelligence sharing, and strengthened collaboration with Japan, a country with advanced defense systems,” AFP spokesperson Col. Francel Margareth Padilla said.

Japanese Ambassador Kazuya Endo, in a post on X, expressed his “heartfelt appreciation for the unwavering support of the PH Senate for the concurrence of the RAA.”

“Our countries have long stood together as strategic partners, and this milestone reaffirms our shared commitment to a peaceful, stable, and prosperous Indo-Pacific region,” he added.

Endo’s post was accompanied by a photo taken at the Senate, taken after the ratification.

Escudero thanked Sen. Imee Marcos, the sponsor of the resolution, for fast-tracking and prioritizing the resolution, being the chairperson of the Senate committee on foreign relations.

“The partnerships between the Philippine Armed Forces and the Self-Defense Forces of Japan will enhance our security and defense capabilities and especially our disaster management efforts,” Sen. Juan Miguel Zubiri said of the ratification of the RAA.

“Japan is one of our most important friends and allies, if not the most important friend and ally in the region, and this agreement will only deepen our ties, ensure that we are aligned in our efforts to uphold peace and security in the Asia Pacific region today, I cast my vote for friendship, for cooperation and for future or a future of deeper Philippines-Japan relationship,” Zubiri added.

“The RAA between the AFP and the Self-Defense Forces of Japan would further solidify our commitment to promote regional and global peace and stability, and deepen our security and defense relationship,” Sen. Joel Villanueva said.

“It will be remembered in history as one of the highlights of our diplomatic partnership, which now spans almost 11 decades. As we give our concurrence to this agreement, we join the Japanese people in their desire to build a heart-to-heart relationship of trust as Prime Minister Kishida best puts it, as equal partners and friends,” Villanueva pointed out.

Sen. Loren Legarda said she cast an affirmative vote, citing the necessity of collaboration and partnerships “at a time when collaboration is crucial.”

“The RAA not only facilitates joint military training, disaster response and humanitarian operations but also fortifies our commitment to regional peace and stability, which we emphasized during the 31st Asia Pacific parliamentary forum we hosted last year,” Legarda added.

“The legal framework is a reinforcement of our commitment to enhancing confidence, building measures that effectively alleviate tensions, proactively prevent disputes and mitigate escalation of ongoing disputes in the Asia Pacific region,” she explained.

The RAA outlines the provisions on entry and departure, movement, access to facilities and professional practice of the Visiting Force and its civilian component for the purpose of cooperative activities, as well as the rules governing the jurisdiction over the actions of the Visiting Force and its civilian components.

The Senate, in its resolution, said the RAA aims to deepen the security and defense cooperation between the Philippines and Japan, as well as enhance the interoperability between the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Self-Defense Forces of Japan by enabling more in-depth practical military cooperation and exercises.

Art for awareness

In Zamboanga City, military engineers are trying their hand at visual arts as part of their contribution to leveling up the Filipino soldiers’ awareness of the West Philippine Sea issue.

Lt. Col. Gabriel Tayko, chief of the civil military operation of 54th Engineering Brigade based in Barangay Cabatangan in Zamboanga City, said the endeavor would involve having soldiers share their thoughts and insights on the issue through painting.

He said their works would be displayed at a youth rally at the Cultural Center of the Philippines. He did not say when the exhibit would be held.

“We will showcase these initiatives done by the 54th Engineering Brigade and the ongoing efforts that we are doing for the awareness program about the enemy propaganda in the WPS,” Tayko said, apparently referring to false narratives being peddled by China, especially on social media.

The program is based on the advocacy of 54th EB commander Brig. Gen. Darwin Hernandez to spread awareness among the people of the real stake in the West Philippine Sea issue, Tayko said.

The program is in coordination with the Western Mindanao Command and the Philippine Army.

He maintained that the people’s level of awareness of the issue, especially the youth, has remained low despite China’s growing aggressiveness in asserting its illegal claim.

“The war of today is unlike before which we have seen, like in the beach front where we were being attacked. Now it is unrestricted warfare and our enemy is exploring and targeting the cognitive domain which is the mindsets of our people – to divide us as Filipinos. Because from there we will be easily invaded by another country if we are divided,” Tayko said.

He stressed that soldiers should have keen awareness of the issue they’re fighting for.

“If all soldiers know what they’re fighting for and know what is ours, then that would be different because it would encourage our soldiers to fight to the end and the last drop of their blood,” Tayko said.

“If we have no awareness we will not be that conscious as to why the national government is so loud and vocal, like when the President himself said during the SONA that he would not give up a single inch of our territory,” he added.

He emphasized the importance of military engineers, saying they usually prepare the battlefields for the foot soldiers and they are usually the last to exit the front.

Tayko said the military engineers’ three major tasks are civil works, combat and geospatial.

“If you see the theater of war even in Ukraine or Israel, the first group who enters the war are the engineers. They prepare the battle ground, survivability of troops in support of the operations and in the aftermath of war, engineer will be the last to fix it,” Tayko added.

Meanwhile, Surigao del Norte Rep. Robert Ace Barbers slammed yesterday the so-called “modern traitors” or “Makabagong Makapili” Filipinos and Filipino-Chinese and their local trolls and vloggers who defend, support and parrot China’s narrative and propaganda lines on the West Philippine Sea issue.

Barbers, chair of the House’s dangerous drugs panel, said it is disheartening to learn that there exist unpatriotic and traitorous Filipino trolls and vloggers who don’t hesitate to betray the country because of money.

“They are the ones spreading fake information against our own country. They insisted that China is right in claiming our territory, that we should have dialogue with them to peacefully settle the conflict,” Barbers said. — Jose Rodel Clapano, Pia Lee-Brago