Like-minded countries fully support the Philippines

Clearly, the recent passage of a US Congress House Resolution serves as a strong statement reinforcing the longstanding friendship, mutual commitment to security and economic partnership between the Philippines and the United States.

House Resolution 837 was co-sponsored by our friends from both sides of the aisle – Democratic Congressman Bobby Scott of Virginia and Republican Congressman James Moylan of Guam who are both co-chairs of the US-Philippines Friendship Caucus – and it reaffirms the United States’ “unwavering commitment” to invoke the 1951 US-Philippines Mutual Defense Treaty if there is an armed attack in the South China Sea against Philippine assets, including those of the Philippine Coast Guard.

The bipartisan resolution also calls on the Philippines and the US to “begin joint patrols in the South China Sea” and also expressed firm objection to China’s “false sovereignty claims.” The resolution further stated that it welcomes the swift implementation of the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement and “foster a free and open Indo-Pacific for all.”

“As the only currently serving member of Congress with Filipino ancestry, and as co-chair of the US-Philippines Friendship Caucus, I am proud to see our bipartisan resolution passed by the House,” Congressman Scott said, stressing that the resolution reaffirms the important partnership between the two nations and makes it clear that the US “will stand firmly” with its allies in the Indo-Pacific region.

Through the passage of the resolution, the US House of Representatives has “sent a clear message to our friends in the Philippines: we will protect you,” said Congressman Moylan, who called out China for continuing to “harass citizens of the Philippines through various means, including pressurized water cannons, ship ramming and maritime militias.”

It goes without saying that the Philippines, for its part, will continue to strengthen and upgrade its defense capabilities. To this end, our military modernization program is in full swing, with help from our friends and partners, among them Japan that plans to provide coastal surveillance radar to enhance the Philippines’ maritime security capabilities through its Official Security Assistance program.

The Philippine Coast Guard is also set to acquire 40 fast patrol craft (FPC) funded through official development assistance from France, with 20 of these vessels to be built locally. With the first vessel expected for delivery by early 2026, these FPC would boost the capabilities of the PCG in search and rescue operations, environmental protection, disaster response, addressing illegal activities and maintaining our maritime sovereignty.

The United States Congress recently approved $540 million of long-term military financing for the Philippines. This amount is just the initial tranche as we continue to work on additional funding. But as promised by our own Congress, we intend to put up our own funds as promised by President Marcos. We have been clear that we cannot be purely dependent on our allies for our military modernization program.

Our legislators have given assurances of support through budget allocations as well as legislation, recognizing the critical importance of the AFP modernization program in boosting our country’s defense and security capabilities, and in asserting our sovereignty.

We also had productive discussions with the House of Representatives’ Deputy Speakers, Tonypet Albano and Raymond Democrito Mendoza, who were in Washington, DC for the Parliamentary Intelligence-Security Forum (PI-SF) where international parliamentarians and officials from over 100 countries hold discussions and listen to experts on topics that include counter-terrorism financing, cybersecurity, predatory foreign investments and other relevant issues.

In my remarks during the forum held at the historic Kennedy Caucus Room of the Russell Senate Office Building, I drew focus to the Indo-Pacific where discussions on many issues and flashpoints are of great consequence to us all.

While the first forum in 2014 focused on terrorism and unconventional warfare, the scope has broadened since then with the realization that all security threats are interrelated and intertwined. Undoubtedly, the international security sphere has undergone seismic shifts in the last decade. As I told PI-SF chairman Robert Pittenger, parliamentary cooperation will be key in addressing challenges, which is why we are looking forward to hosting the next PI-SF in Manila next year.

For the Philippines, one security issue has been top of mind at all levels: the South China Sea. From the President down to our fisherfolk, Filipinos are acutely aware of the dire implications should rising tensions continue unchecked in this most important waterway.

During my interview with Larry Luxner for his article titled “Xi’s aggression in South China Sea solidifies US-Philippine relations” published by The Washington Diplomat, I categorically stated that China’s sweeping claims in the South China Sea on the basis of its “nine-dash line” – which is now “10-dash line” – is “totally unacceptable,” reiterating that the 2016 Permanent Court of Arbitration ruling favoring the Philippines is the basis of our claim.

I am confident that even with the incoming Trump administration, more and more like-minded nations will continue to express support for the Philippines in our efforts to defend the rules-based international order in the maritime sphere, specifically in the South China Sea – with our position firmly anchored on the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and the 2016 Arbitral Award.

While we will keep pursuing preventive diplomacy and dialogue, keeping communication channels open, our policy will remain in exposing the dangerous maneuvers, aggression and harassment by the China Coast Guard and maritime militia vessels in the West Philippine Sea.

It is a mistake for some nations to think might makes them right. In the end, it is right that will make might – when you have more and more nations joining the call for what is clearly right.

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