‘A deep friendship’: The Philippines, the US, and the rules-based international order

This week’s meeting between President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. and United States President Joseph Biden at the White House comes at a critical time.

The meeting took place just a few days after the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) reported another instance of bullying from China. On April 28, the PCG released a statement saying there were over 100 Chinese vessels in the West Philippine Sea. These include Chinese maritime militia vessels, a People’s Liberation Army Navy corvette, and two China Coast Guard (CCG) vessels.

The PCG also said two of its vessels — the BRP Malapascua and BRP Malabrigo — were involved in a “confrontation” with CCG vessels near Pag-asa Island and Ayungin Shoal where one of them engaged in “dangerous maneuvers” to block the PCG patrol.

Such actions and rhetoric from the Chinese highlight the importance of this week’s bilateral meeting between the Philippine and US presidents.

“The US remains ironclad in our commitment to the defense of the Philippines, including the South China Sea,” said President Biden. “We’re going to continue to support the Philippines’ military modernization goals.”

And it’s not only a partnership, Biden added. “We share a deep friendship, one that has been enriched by millions of Filipino Americans in the communities all across the United States of America.”

The US president recalled Marcos’ statement during their meeting in New York last year, when the latter said the relationship between the two countries has to continue to evolve as we face the challenges of this new century.

“Together, we’re tackling climate change, we’re accelerating our countries’ transition to clean energy, we’re standing up for our shared democratic values and workers’ rights, and the rule of law,” Biden said.

Biden also announced that the US is sending a first-of-its-kind presidential trade and investment mission to the Philippines. The economic cooperation between the two countries, he said, is mutually beneficial and will continue to deepen.

“I can’t think of any better partner to have than you.”

*****

The Marcos-Biden meeting and the latest encounter with the CCG serve as serious context for the last town hall discussion organized by Stratbase ADR Institute together with the US Embassy in the Philippines, which tackled the relevant subject of “Modernizing Philippine Defense Capabilities and Elevating Security Partnerships.”

Former Armed Forces Chief of Staff Gen. Emmanuel Bautista talked about the new Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) sites, as well as the opportunities and challenges in the Philippine security landscape. General Bautista, who was chief of staff when the EDCA was signed in 2014, said the challenges are: winning the information war, advancing the Philippine narrative, and achieving continuity. He said we should stand on the moral high ground attained with our arbitral victory and build on the enhanced economic component brought about by EDCA.

The general said any dialogue with China should be from the position of a co-equal, not a subservient nation.

Brett Blackshaw, political counselor for the US Embassy in the Philippines, talked about “Enhancing Maritime Security Cooperation within the US-Philippine Alliance.” He said that as we have seen too often, a policy of appeasement does not work. The Philippines needs to display confidence and develop capabilities so it can stand up for its rights. He also emphasized the importance of transparency — shining a light and letting the world know of acts of harassment or pressure coming from another state.

Stratbase ADRI Trustee and Program Convenor Dr. Renato de Castro urged the Marcos administration to formulate a national security strategic policy that addresses the very real Taiwan threat, and to lock our modernization plan with that of our allies.

The former Director for Strategic Plans and Policy of the US Indo-Pacific Command, Major General Joaquin Malavet USMC (Ret), shared his views on “Leveraging Indo-Pacific Cooperation for a Rules-Based International Order.” He pointed out that EDCA would help bring about thriving communities and induce business investments and true public-private partnership around the designated sites.

Dr. Virginia Bacay Watson, Professor at the Daniel K. Inouye Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies, believes that we need to rethink the concept of defense modernization to bring it up to speed with new and emerging threats.

*****

A Stratbase-commissioned Pulse Asia survey, conducted in late 2022, revealed that eight in 10 Filipinos believe that the Marcos administration must strengthen our military capability to effectively address the issues in the West Philippine Sea, and conduct joint maritime patrols and military exercises with allied countries. The survey also showed that the United States continues to enjoy the trust of most Filipinos — 84% — as we defend our sovereignty. The results have been consistent since we first tracked this in 2016. The US is followed by Japan and Australia with 52% and 25%, respectively.

This is how our people feel about China’s blatant disrespect for our sovereign rights that our leaders must heed. We look upon our leaders to steer the nation as we face the complex and multi-polar challenges of the times, not only as a nation but as part of the Indo-Pacific region and as part of the community of law-abiding, peace-loving, rights-respecting nations. Building our defense capabilities and strengthening our ties with like-minded states like the US are key strategies toward this end.

If our beloved chairman, former Ambassador and Secretary Albert del Rosario, were still with us, he would have eagerly listened and passionately shared his thoughts. ADR, our friend, mentor, and inspiration, demonstrated unwavering commitment to the cause of protecting our sovereignty and building linkages with our allies. Indeed, when he passed away last month, he left a void in each of our hearts. But he has motivated us to be relentless in fighting for peace and security in a rules-based international order.

We are happy to continue his legacy and live up to that challenge.

Victor Andres “Dindo” C. Manhit is the president of the Stratbase ADR Institute.