Below the surface: From vulnerability to resilience in the underwater domain

Some underwater drones with Chinese markings were recently discovered in various parts of the Philippines. Last year, a Russian attack submarine passing through Philippine waters was detected. No less than President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. described this discovery as “very concerning.” And then, in other parts of the world, there have been reports of subsea cable-cutting incidents.

These developments are cause for concern, primarily because they are not immediately visible. Not only do they occur within the maritime domain, far from major centers of communication, but they also happen beneath the ocean’s surface, to evade detection of clandestine operations.

Secondly, this is an area in which the Philippines has yet to develop expertise and mastery.

As an archipelago, the Philippines is a maritime nation, blessed with boundless maritime assets that can be harnessed to improve the quality of life of our people. We deeply rely on the sea for various aspects of our nation’s life: food, trade, energy, and communication. And given the recent persistent and deliberate incursions into our exclusive economic zone, not only our economic security but also our territorial integrity is being attacked.

All these expose a critical vulnerability for the Philippines: our limited underwater domain awareness, as well as our capability to defend and protect our underwater assets and territory, are still in the nascent stage.

Consider this: our seas serve as home to submarine cables. They connect major economic players such as the United States, the European Union, and Japan. If there happen to be disruptions or instability, the seamless flow of information and trade through our underwater territories would be seriously compromised.

The need is clear: The Philippines needs to develop the capability to monitor, secure, and protect its underwater infrastructure at the soonest possible time. The underwater dimension represents the next strategic frontier — a realm where sovereignty, technology, and cooperation converge.

But given our competing priorities — for example, our disaster coping and climate risk management issues, as illustrated by our experience of Super Typhoon Uwan just a few days ago, and our continuing probe into government corruption with regard to flood control and other infrastructure, as well the limitations posed by our lack of equipment and technical expertise, we cannot do it on our own.

The underwater domain is vast, complex, and technologically demanding. Effective monitoring and protection require partnerships with nations that have the technological expertise, operational experience, and commitment to safeguarding shared maritime spaces.

One such partner is Italy, another maritime nation but one that has proven its expertise and capability in the underwater domain.

Today, Nov. 12, we at Stratbase are privileged to organize — in partnership with the Italian Embassy in the Philippines and Fincantieri — a forum that explores the underwater dimension as a new frontier for security and cooperation. The conference will convene key stakeholders from the diplomatic community, government, private sector, academia, civil society, and the international community to examine how safeguarding subsea infrastructure is essential to maintaining peace and stability — from the Mediterranean Sea to the Indo-Pacific.

We will learn much from our partner, Italy, because despite the intercontinental distance, our two countries share a commitment toward equity and justice, as well as recognition of the need for collective security. Italy has the necessary technical know-how to help us advance our underwater capabilities. But more than that, it is a staunch defender of the principles of international stability and resilience, in the context of national and international economics and security.

Whether we are talking about the Indo-Pacific or the Mediterranean, several non-negotiable fundamentals remain. For example, Italy and the Philippines share an interest in ensuring the safeguarding of the underwater domain and its critical infrastructure. This demands integrated policies, a coherent regulatory framework, multilateral approaches, and cooperative instruments that reduce vulnerabilities and strengthen resilience, including through closer collaboration and the sharing of best practices.

Advances have been made by the Philippines in upholding its maritime economic interests. The proposed Blue Economy Act, for instance, has been identified as a priority legislative measure for the 20th Congress. The proposal aims to establish a framework for the sustainable and secure development of marine resources, making the blue economy a key pillar of national development.

The bill covers the following activities: fisheries and aquaculture; exploration, exploitation, and extraction of oil and natural gas; submarine mining of minerals and aggregates; and the installation of submarine cables and pipelines. These activities reflect opportunity.

Then again, they are also areas of vulnerability, specifically since our ability to detect, deter, and respond to threats that could undermine risks and threats greatly determine the success of our blue economy. All the more should we turn to partnerships with like-minded partners like Italy, with whom we share the priority of protecting the marine resources and critical infrastructure in our underwater domain.

And just as the seas connect and flow into one another, so should our strategies and approaches link with and build upon each other’s.

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