Anchored on national interest: Philippine foreign policy in these changing, challenging times

If there was any confusion on what exactly independent Philippine foreign policy means to this administration, President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. spelled it out clearly in last week’s State of the Nation Address.

“Then as now, our policy remains the same — the Philippines is a friend to all and an enemy to none,” he said.

This guiding principle states that the Philippines will not be drawn into conflict, but neither will it shy away from defending its sovereignty. The President reiterated this despite persistent — and intensifying — threats in the West Philippine Sea, and even in cyberspace, in the battle for the minds and hearts of the public.

The Philippines responds to these threats by speaking out against incursions, filing diplomatic protests, and by nurturing friendships with many nations that share our values and our commitment to the rule of law.

On this last point, much progress has been achieved in the past three years. Indeed, we are now more vigilant, more capable, and more determined to defend ourselves because of the continued strengthening of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. Our defense capabilities are being enhanced with the steady acquisition of arms, warships, and other defense equipment — aligned with the goals of modernization and a comprehensive approach to the protection of the archipelago.

We have an increasing number of allies ready to stand with us in times of urgent need. The Philippines is now backed by strengthened security alliances and growing confidence drawn from deeper international partnerships, with like-minded countries.

At a high-level forum hosted by the Stratbase Institute last month, Foreign Affairs Secretary Ma. Theresa Lazaro said the Philippines is pursuing multilateral and bilateral engagements that bolster the country’s position and broaden its capacities.

“We now have several visiting forces agreements, 11 bilateral maritime dialogues, such as with Australia, one of the most important maritime partners, a trilateral maritime dialogue, and a growing number of countries that join our multilateral maritime cooperation activities. All of this demonstrates that the Philippines does not stand alone and can rely on its partners in order to maintain regional peace and security,” she said during the event that marked the 9^th anniversary of the arbitral decision largely favoring the Philippines in the dispute with China over the West Philippine Sea.

In the same event, ambassadors and representatives from 26 like-minded nations expressed their support for the Philippines and the rules-based international order.

Recent high-level engagements further illustrate the Philippines’ strategy of diversified diplomacy. Last month, President Marcos Jr.’s official visit to Washington DC showed our foreign policy in action and marked a significant milestone in the evolving Philippine-US relationship. He was the first leader in the region to be invited to the White House under President Donald Trump’s second term. This signals the importance Washington places on its relationship with the Philippines.

Amid rising aggression in the West Philippine Sea and the broader South China Sea, US officials’ pronouncements send a strong message to deter hostile actions. Beyond defense and security, President Marcos Jr.’s visit demonstrated the depth and breadth of the Philippines’ comprehensive relationship with the United States, marked by announcements of stronger partnerships in other key areas.

Following his visit to Washington, President Marcos Jr. embarked on a five-day state visit to India, reinforcing the Philippines’ commitment to building a diversified and multilateral network of partnerships. The visit is expected to advance cooperation not only in maritime security and defense, but also other key areas such as trade, pharmaceuticals, digital innovation, agriculture, and tourism.

The Philippines is also gearing up to assume the ASEAN Chairmanship in 2026, a pivotal role that will allow it to lead efforts on regional cooperation, promote collective responses to cross-border challenges, and strengthen ASEAN’s engagement with its dialogue partners.

In parallel, the country is campaigning for a non-permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council in 2026. As Foreign Affairs Secretary Lazaro noted in a post-SONA briefing, winning this seat would be a major diplomatic milestone — demonstrating the Philippines’ readiness to contribute to global peace, security, and multilateral governance.

Under the term of President Marcos Jr., the Philippines has been manifesting the essence of a truly independent foreign policy. We focus on the needs and interests of Filipinos, and base our decisions on what is most beneficial for our people and our nation. In this case, we assert our integrity and territorial rights, as backed by international law. We protect the interests of our fisherfolk rightfully earning their living in our Exclusive Economic Zone. We resist any advances by other powers that try to twist the narrative.

We cannot do this on our own. We are fortunate to have allies in numerous countries who equally believe that the rule of law must prevail. Because of this affinity, they are able to share with us their expertise in terms of beefing up our defense capabilities.

The geopolitical environment around the Philippines is becoming increasingly complex. We bank on the support of our strategic partners while keeping our national interest — and nobody else’s — at the core of our pursuits.

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