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Hegseth’s Asia tour won’t fix the US credibility crisis

PHILIPPINE STAR/JOHN RYAN BALDEMOR

THE BATTLE of Iwo Jima in World War II was one of the bloodiest in the history of the US Marine Corps. Nearly 7,000 American soldiers died. On the Japanese side, the scale of the casualties was exponentially higher. The epic military operation is a reminder of America’s commitment to the Indo-Pacific region. Eighty years later, US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has a chance to show that resolve again. The alternative is to accept that China will play a more important role in the region — and take the space as the US retreats.

The timing of Hegseth’s first Asian tour couldn’t be more awkward. President Donald Trump’s “America First” mantra is raising eyebrows, but so is his administration’s apparent incompetence. The revelation that US plans to bomb Houthi targets in Yemen were accidentally exposed via a commercial messaging app is worrying for nations that have depended on Washington’s military assistance. Compounding that sense of unreliability: More Trump tariffs are expected next week and allies are likely to be included.

The White House is batting away criticism of the intelligence leak, but it raises serious questions. If the US can be so careless with its own military plans, how much should others rely on it? Hegseth’s itinerary includes visits to the Philippines and Japan. Both US treaty allies should use this opportunity to get firm answers on how much support they can count on, but also shore up their capabilities in the face of Washington’s unpredictability.

The China challenge is getting harder to manage. Manila and Tokyo both have overlapping maritime claims with Beijing in the South and East China seas. These are becoming more difficult to fight as the People’s Liberation Army expands its capabilities around the world, using the full force of its coast guard and advanced undersea cable-cutting technology to its advantage.

Also in the mix is Taiwan’s security, which is important for Japan because of its geographic proximity. President Joe Biden’s administration relied on a network of support among allies to keep countries safe and stand up to China. There’s no indication that will continue under Trump.

There have been some moments of clarity. The defense secretary has had conversations with some key Asian allies, including the Philippines and Thailand, affirming iron-clad support for Manila. Joint Indo-Pacific drills between Australia, India, Japan, South Korea, and the US took place earlier this month, and are set to continue despite objections from China.

But some of the other signals from Washington aren’t as encouraging. Under Biden, the US pledged to ramp up its military presence in Japan with the creation of a joint force headquarters. Those plans may be scrapped to save costs, according to NBC and other local media reports. Trump has questioned why American money is being used to help Japan and other Asian allies defend themselves. These mixed messages are unsettling for the region.

Meanwhile, Beijing continues to get more assertive. Activities by Chinese vessels near a set of uninhabited islands in the East China Sea — called the Senkaku in Japan and the Diaoyu in China — are “clearly escalating,” Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya said on Monday. The Philippine defense chief has called the superpower’s expansive claims in the South China Sea “the biggest fiction and lie” that no Southeast Asian country would accept, adding that President Xi Jinping’s aggressive policies have undermined international goodwill fostered by his predecessors.

Hegseth is due to meet his counterparts in Manila and Tokyo. No doubt China will be at the top of their agendas. The three defense secretaries should signal to Beijing that the US is firmly committed to a free and open Indo-Pacific region — and it’s not just rhetoric. Washington can do this by announcing expanded military exercises, like the annual US-Philippine Balikatan drills. They’ve been growing in size in recent years and both sides should indicate a firm desire for that to continue. The Keen Sword war games between Tokyo and Washington are also a good way to show Beijing that the US presence in the region is here to stay.

Both Asian allies should also tout an increase in their defense budgets as evidence that they are serious about self-reliance, as Trump has insisted upon. Understanding the president’s transactional approach is key in this era, so they should also commit to buying more American weapons.

Manila has already expressed its intention to acquire the US Typhon missile system as part of a push to secure its maritime interests. Tokyo has quietly been buying American weapons, too. These initiatives should continue, despite criticism by Beijing that such moves are destabilizing to Asia.

The last eight decades have seen US supremacy in the Indo-Pacific region grow from strength to strength. For the most part, that’s kept Asia safe. To mark those ties, Hegseth is scheduled to visit Iwo Jima to attend a Japan-US joint memorial ceremony marking the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II. Washington needs to decide whether it still wants to maintain its relevance in the region. American credibility and regional security hang in the balance.

BLOOMBERG OPINION

Philippine Merchandise Trade Performance (Annual)

THE 2024 trade-in-goods deficit was revised to $54.33 billion from the $54.21 billion reported in January, the Philippine Statistics Authority said on Thursday. Read the full story.

Philippine Merchandise Trade Performance (Annual)

Rules for writing commendation letters

I read a past article of yours on the “lost art” of writing employee commendation letters. The trouble is that our employees are comfortable performing only the minimum requirements of their job. Even if we would want to commend people, there’s simply no reason to celebrate anything. So, what’s the cure? — Water Spider.

No matter what, don’t lower your standards, but make them reasonably achievable and realistic for everyone. To do that, the key is “to catch people doing something right.” That’s the prescription of American author and management consultant Ken Blanchard, who wrote the 1999 classic Catch People Doing Something Right.

I know how difficult it is to catch people doing something right, but it’s not exactly impossible, if you know how. Would it require micro-management? Far from it. You have to watch people perform their routine from a distance. That’s only possible if you know the basic content of their tasks, their performance standards, their timeline, and the department goals.

Blanchard says: “Catching people doing things right provides satisfaction and motivates good performance. So, remember: give praise immediately, make it specific, and encourage the person to keep up the good work. It’s a great way to interact with and affirm the people in your life — and it will make you feel good about yourself too.”

That means creating an environment where people are motivated to work not necessarily hard, but smart enough to exceed your expectations. Blanchard’s advice points to an approach to persuading direct reports and other similarly situated employees to achieve what you want them to.

Try to remember when you were commended by your boss for doing an excellent job. How did it feel? I’ll bet you were on cloud nine and looking for ways to do it again, perhaps while aspiring for a promotion or merit increase.

It would help to know how to write an ideal letter which goes beyond saying, “great job,” which may seem meaningless after a while, especially if not accompanied by specifics on how the “great job” was performed and how it benefited the organization.

LOST ART
The Lost Art of Writing Commendation Letters was published in this space on Jan. 27, 2023. The article emphasized the basic elements of the ideal letter. To refresh the memory, let me enumerate the following elements:

​One, specific description of the employee’s extraordinary accomplishment. Note the key phrase is “extraordinary accomplishment.”

Two, the beneficial impact of the achievement on the organization. It could be in the form of financial gain or an improved image.

​Three, immediacy. The faster the letter is issued, the better. Any delay could diminish the positive impact of the letter.

​Four, formality, as opposed to a casual communication like an e-mail.

​And last, no false expectations of a promotion or pay increase.

​Many of these elements can’t be found elsewhere, even if you resort to ChatGPT. As of this writing, ChatGPT offers an answer that might help you write a professionally made letter, properly formatted, with an appropriate salutation, opening paragraph, body of text, and closing paragraph.

This is useful for composing a respectable commendation letter. Per my experience, however, people managers must touch on many more important points to maximize the letter’s beneficial effects on the employees. Here are some of those points:

One is rank of the signatories. The higher the rank, the better as it emphasizes the significance of the achievement. Depending on the achievement and impact, the chief executive officer (CEO) could be included as a signatory, along with the department head and immediate boss.

If an employee is being lauded for perfect attendance, the signatory could be the immediate boss, copy furnished to the department head and the HR department, but not the CEO.

Two, 201 folders. Ensure that a copy of the commendation letter is included in the employee’s file with the HR department. Also, it is recommended that a digital copy be prepared for easier access. Both formats are necessary to establish institutional memory in regard to an employee’s achievement.

This involves giving the original copy to the employee, with a duplicate copy retained for 201 files.

Three, public sharing. Again, depending on the significance of an employee’s achievement, it is advisable to share the information with employees and management. It may include the publication of the employee’s accomplishment through a circular for posting on all bulletin boards.

It’s also advisable to write a feature article, complete with photos published in the company newsletter or similar publications. Whatever the value of an achievement, you can maximize the process by giving a printed copy of the commendation letter to the employee’s spouse or parents.

In conclusion, don’t take the process of writing a commendation letter lightly. Otherwise, it may reflect on the sincerity of management. Go ahead and reflect on your experience. Then find ways to catch people doing something right with your help.

 

Bring Rey Elbo’s unique leadership program called “Superior Subordinate Supervision” to your management teams. Learn from his unique methodology. Send an e-mail to elbonomics@gmail.com or via https://reyelbo.com.

Actor Depardieu says hand on the buttocks is not sexual assault, tells court he did not touch plaintiff

Gérard Depardieu in a scene from 2021’s Adieu Paris.

PARIS — Actor Gerard Depardieu, on the third day of a sexual assault trial, told a Paris court on Wednesday that he did not consider placing a hand on a person’s buttocks sexual assault and that some women were too easily shocked, but denied assault.

A towering figure of French cinema, Mr. Depardieu, 76, has faced a growing number of sexual assault allegations in recent years, which has put a spotlight on how women are treated in the movie industry.

Mr. Depardieu has denied wrongdoing and this is the first case over which he is standing trial. He is accused of sexually assaulting two women on a film set in 2021.

“Sexual assault is something more serious than that … But a hand on someone’s buttocks, it’s not … (that),” Mr. Depardieu said, when asked about allegations by one of the two plaintiffs that he had groped her, though he later said he didn’t know what “sexual assault” meant.

He also denied touching her: “I did not touch her buttocks, I did not touch her breasts, I did none of that.”

The young woman, the second plaintiff to testify, said Mr. Depardieu had sexually assaulted her.

“I was petrified, I was shocked, I did not know what to say,” said the woman, who has asked that her name not be released publicly.

The French criminal code clearly spells out that touching someone’s buttocks by surprise, constraint, or threat is sexual assault.

CRITICISM OF #METOO MOVEMENT
During the first two days of the trial, which started on Monday, Mr. Depardieu criticized the #MeToo movement. He described it on Tuesday as “a form of hysteria.”

The global #MeToo movement has exposed powerful men who have been accused of sexual harassment in fields including entertainment, politics, and business.

Earlier in the trial, Mr. Depardieu admitted grabbing the other plaintiff, Amelie K, by the hips, but denied it was assault.

His lawyer Jeremie Assous has opted for an aggressive line of defense, saying the accusations were false and investigators biased and wanting to bring Mr. Depardieu down.

If found guilty, Mr. Depardieu could face a sentence of up to five years in jail and a €75,000 ($81,000) fine.

Mr. Depardieu is also facing rape allegations in a separate case.

Actress Charlotte Arnould, who has accused him of raping her in 2018 when she was 22, was among those present to follow the trial’s proceedings.

Mr. Depardieu’s lawyer alluded to her in court and called her a liar. As Ms. Arnould burst into tears, Amelie K looked at her, smiling kindly in a show of support.

The Paris prosecutor’s office last year said Mr. Depardieu should face trial over Ms. Arnould’s complaint. Mr. Depardieu has denied any wrongdoing. It is now up to an investigative judge to say if there will be a trial over those allegations. — Reuters

How PSEi member stocks performed — March 27, 2025

Here’s a quick glance at how PSEi stocks fared on Thursday, March 27, 2025.

BMI trims PHL growth forecast

Traffic builds up along South Luzon Expressway, April 5, 2023. — PHILIPPINE STAR/RUSSELL PALMA

FITCH SOLUTIONS unit BMI cut its gross domestic product  growth forecast for the Philippines this year to 6.2%, amid a general tempering of growth expectations across the region in the face of a looming trade war.

In a report, BMI said its earlier projection was 6.3% issued in February.

It maintained its growth forecast for 2026 at 6.7% and expects growth of 6.6% between 2027 and 2029. All its forecasts fall within the government’s 6-8% full-year target band for 2025 through 2028.

The economy grew 5.6% in 2024, missing the government’s 6-6.5% target.

“We expect that India will remain Asia’s fastest-growing large economy, expanding by 6.6% in FY2025/26. The country will be followed by the Philippines (6.2%) and Indonesia (5.3%),” BMI said.

In an interview with Bloomberg TV, Finance Secretary Ralph G. Recto on March 19 expressed confidence the Philippines will expand by at least 6% this year.

Meanwhile, Budget Secretary Amenah F. Pangandaman said a Development Budget Coordination Committee meeting is expected to review targets at the end of March.

BMI also left its growth forecast this year for Asia unchanged at 4.5%, but warned that US trade policy could pose risks to manufacturing exporters.

Ahead of the reciprocal tariffs due on April 2, US President Donald J. Trump unveiled a 25% tariff on imported cars and light trucks starting next week, Reuters reported.

BMI said that risks to the outlook for Asia are tilted to the downside, as countries such as Vietnam and Cambodia have established a “complex cross-border supply chains” which makes them heavily dependent on exports.

“Strong exports provided a boost to headline growth in 2024 and a tariff-induced hit to global trade would create a significant headwind,” BMI said.

Meanwhile, BMI Chief Economist Cedric Chehab found it surprising that US President Donald J. Trump remains silent on Southeast and East Asian tariffs following a meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba.

He said it might be possible that Mr. Trump is waiting for the April 2 deadline.

“Maybe because he realizes that with East Asia and Southeast Asia,it’s important to maintain very strong diplomatic relations, because if Trump wants to pivot towards applying greater pressure on China,then he has to do it from Asia. So perhaps that’s one of the reasons,” he said.

Mr. Chehab speculated that even if no tariffs are imposed on the region, slower US and Chinese growth “will naturally impact Southeast Asian economies.”

BMI also lowered its global forecast to 2.5% for 2025 from its previous projection of 2.6% issued in February, largely due to its revision to the US growth forecast, which it lowered from 2.1% to 1.9%.

“Let’s say Trump were to implement a 10% tariff on Southeast Asian economies;that would certainly be negative for regional growth within Southeast Asia, (which are) very open economies,” he said.

In the report, BMI said its core assumption is Mr. Trump will increase the average effective tariff rate by between 5-8 percentage points, to a level of about 8-11%.

“Given Trump’s more aggressive stance of late, we have been flagging the risk that the average tariff rate could rise to 10-15%,” it said.

BMI also expects the Federal Reserve to remain on pause before cutting by 25 basis points in June or July and again at the end of 2025.

The Fed on March 20 held its benchmark overnight rate steady in the 4.25%-4.5% range, citing expectations of rising prices due to the impact of tariffs on all its trading partners.

Analysts have said the Fed rate cut pause may further delay the Bangko Central ng Pilipinas’ own easing cycle. — Aubrey Rose A. Inosante

New auto revival strategy to offer up to P3B in perks

USERTRMK-FREEPIK

A NEW auto industry revival program due next month will offer up to P3 billion in incentives for each participant in a bid to continue the momentum of a previous plan encouraging domestic manufacturing, the Board of Investments (BoI) said.

“I was informed that the joint administrative order on Revitalizing the Automotive Industry for Competitiveness Enhancement (RACE) is almost done and will be issued next month,” BoI Executive Director for Industry Development Services Ma. Corazon Halili-Dichosa said via Viber.

The predecessor to RACE was the Comprehensive Automotive Resurgence Strategy (CARS) program, which incentivized the domestic assembly of compact cars targeted at the mass market.

“The issuance of the CARS Program under Executive Order No. 182 contributed to the achievement of the desired localization levels among the participants and the development of the capabilities of the parts manufacturing industry,” according to a briefing paper on the program.

RACE will have a P250-million budget in the 2025 General Appropriations Act.

“The Philippine automotive industry has significant potential for growth and innovation. However, it faces challenges such as limited local manufacturing capabilities and increasing competition within the ASEAN region,” according to the briefing paper.

According to the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), RACE will be carried out via a Joint Administrative Order (JAO) for easier implementation.

The DTI has said that it and the departments of Finance and Budget will issue the JAO, and will open the application period for potential participants by next month or May.

As in CARS, RACE will incentivize domestic production in exchange for a commitment from participants to produce 100,000 units of four-wheel internal combustion engine vehicles each. — Justine Irish D. Tabile

Hog industry roadmap seeks return to pre-ASF herd size

REUTERS

THE Department of Agriculture (DA) said on Thursday that its plan for a hog industry revival will seek to restore the herd size of 14 million animals before the 2019 outbreak of African Swine Fever (ASF), from 8 million currently.

Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel, Jr. said however at an industry summit that “With a growing population, demand is far higher than the previous (high of) 14 million,” he said.

He urged the industry to increase the herd by a “minimum” of 2 million hogs each year through 2028 to return to pre-ASF levels.

Undersecretary for Livestock Dante J. Palabrica has been tasked with creating a roadmap to guide the recovery of the industry, which he called critical to food security.

Livestock and poultry account for about a quarter of agricultural output and provide livelihoods for over 2.8 million farmers, according to the DA.

Pork and chicken account for more than half of the protein in the Filipino diet, it said.

The proposed animal industry competitiveness enhancement fund earmarks about P4 billion for the hog industry to support its recovery and growth.

A return to pre-ASF levels would mean a significant reduction in pork imports, Mr. Laurel said.

“Filipinos still prefer the meat of freshly slaughtered hogs,” he said, referring to the disadvantages of imported pork, which is frozen.

The DA chief said he had spoken with two large commercial hog producers who have committed to each produce half a million more hogs starting next year.

“If they deliver, I already have around 1 million additional head.”

The Philippine Statistics Authority reported that the price of fresh pork belly (liempo) in the March 1-5 period rose to P384.08 per kilo from P378.84 in the previous monitoring period of Feb. 15-17 and P375.02 a month earlier.

The government on March 10 started imposing a maximum suggested retail price (MSRP) of P380 per kilo for liempo and P350 for kasim (shoulder) and pigue (rear leg).

The DA has also imposed a maximum suggested price of P300 per kilo on traders when they pass pork on to retailers.

The level of compliance with the pork MSRP during the first week of implementation was low at 20% out of the 170 stalls monitored in Metro Manila markets, according to the DA.

It said in a separate report on March 22 the compliance rate had risen to 25%, calling it a significant improvement.

The government first applied the MSRP scheme to rice, initially setting it at P58 per kilo.

The DA is also considering buying pork from importers and traders for sale in government-subsidized stores.

The DA on March 19 said the Bureau of Animal Industry was working to ensure the commercial release by April of a Vietnamese vaccine against ASF.

It said at that time that the utilization rate for the 160,000 doses procured by the government was 17.46%. These were administered at 29 farms identified as ASF hotspots. — Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza

Power firms not compliant with listing requirement at 54% — ERC

The Masinloc Power Plant in Zambales — SMCGLOBALPOWER.COM.PH

POWER companies that have not complied with an industry-wide listing requirement represent 54% of all such firms and account for nearly 14,000 megawatts (MW) of generating capacity, the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) said.

“For those who are not compliant yet as of now, they at various levels of compliance…These are 136 generation companies, which account for 54% of all generating companies. Their capacity is around 14,000 MW,” Rochelle V. Moreno, chief energy regulation officer at ERC, said during a Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) event on Thursday.

Section 43 of the Electric Power Industry Reform Act (EPIRA) requires unlisted generating companies and distribution utilities to offer and sell to the public at least 15% of their common stock.

New companies are required to offer shares no later than five years from the issuance of their certificates of compliance (CoC). A CoC is a license issued by the ERC allowing the operation of a power plant or other facilities used in generating electricity.

Only 37 energy companies are fully compliant with the public offer rule, supplying 3,241.17 MW of capacity to the grid.

Non-compliant energy firms are subject to revocation of their CoCs or non-renewal of their licenses to operate.

“The consequence then is something that we find very difficult to enforce, to implement. Why? As you have seen, the impact of revoking the certificates of compliance for those that have not complied will be taking out 14 gigawatts of power from the system,” ERC Chairperson and Chief Executive Officer Monalisa C. Dimalanta said.

“Revoking their CoCs would be sort of a self-inflicted wound… because everyone will suffer. We just try to help them comply and SEC has been helping us out,” she added.

Ms. Dimalanta said many firms find the process of listing “really very intimidating, intensive, and costly.”

The SEC implemented last year the SEC POWERS program (Securing and Expanding Capital for Power Generation Operators and Wholesale Electricity and Retail Services.)

“As the overseer of the capital markets, we at the SEC remain steadfast in our mandate of creating a sound policy environment for all stakeholders — balancing the interests of the issuers and protecting the investing public,” SEC Chairman and CEO Emilio B. Aquino said.

The SEC committed to complete the review of the registration statement within 45 days from filing, in accordance with the requirements of the Securities Regulation Code, the Revised Corporation Code of the Philippines, and pertinent issuances of the SEC.

Citing the Philippine Energy Plan 2023-2050, Mr. Aquino said the Philippines will need around P67 trillion in investment to meet its energy requirements.

“As we are all aware, energy projects are very capital intensive. This is where the capital market can come in. We aim to introduce the limitless potential of tapping the capital markets as a financing solution to meet the growing demand of the energy sector,” Mr. Aquino said.

Ms. Dimalanta said that the ERC and SEC have been working together since 2023 through joint public consultations with over 100 members of the energy industry.

She said the target is to get an additional 100 energy companies to comply with the public offering rules within the next 12 months. — Sheldeen Joy Talavera

Siargao airport terminal targeted for expansion to 700-seat capacity

PHILSTAR FILE PHOTO

THE Department of Transportation (DoTr) said it ordered the expansion of the Siargao’s Sayak Airport terminal to 700 seats from 200 in the face of growing passenger demand.

“We are going to monitor this expansion and upgrade to increase the seating capacity of this passenger terminal building,” Transportation Secretary Vivencio B. Dizon said in a statement on Thursday.

Mr. Dizon said the DoTr will pursue a “modular” expansion of the terminal and expects the upgrades to be completed within six months.

The expansion will involve the removal of redundant x-ray machines to create space for the extra capacity.

The DoTr also said it ordered the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines to remove the VIP lounge at the passenger terminal to accommodate the growing number of passengers.

In 2024, the DoTr said it is looking to develop six greenfield airports destinations such as Zamboanga, Dumaguete, and Siargao.

Talks are ongoing with local government units regarding the new airport in Siargao, it said. — Ashley Erika O. Jose

China told not to meddle in PHL-US ties

A Chinese Coast Guard vessel fires its water cannon at Unaizah Mae 4 during a Philippine resupply mission for Filipino troops stationed on BRP Sierra Madre in Second Thomas Shoal on March 5, 2024. — ARMED FORCES OF THE PHILIPPINES

By John Victor D. Ordoñez, Reporter

THE PHILIPPINE presidential palace on Thursday urged China to respect Manila’s freedom to boost military ties with Washington and stop meddling in its foreign affairs to keep regional peace.

“Whatever actions we take or projects we pursue regarding our military operations, these are entirely our decisions, and no one has the right to interfere,” Presidential Communications Office Undersecretary Clarissa A. Castro told a news briefing. “We are independent, and no one should meddle in the decisions of our government.”

The Chinese Embassy in Manila did not immediately reply to a Viber message seeking comment.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry on Tuesday urged the Philippines to stop “serving as other countries’ mouthpiece and more stunts for personal political agenda” ahead of US Defense Secretary Peter Hegseth’s visit to Manila on Friday.

“Any defense or security cooperation between the Philippines and other countries should not target any third party or harm their interest, still less threaten regional peace or escalate tensions in the region,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun told a news briefing in Beijing on Wednesday.

“Our message to some in the Philippines: Stop serving as other countries’ mouthpiece and no more stunts for personal political agenda.”

The US Defense chief will visit the Philippines on March 28 to 29 for a meeting with Philippine President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. and Defense Secretary Gilberto C. Teodoro, Jr., with talks expected to center on advancing Manila and Washington’s defense ties, the US Embassy in Manila said in a statement last week.

“The Philippines is no one’s chess piece; we are an independent country,” Ms. Castro said.

China’s ineffective strategic communication on interference in our military’s internal affairs brings further rift between Beijing and Manila, Chester B. Cabalza, founding president at Manila-based think tank International Development and Security Cooperation, said in a Facebook Messenger chat.

“The Philippines has every right to manage its own alliance,” he said. “What China wants to see is for the Philippines to fail and mismanage our security alliance with the US.”

“It is China that is undermining our independence and sovereignty. If that’s how the Chinese politburo sees us with our relationship with the US, then China does not fathom alliance management at all,” he added.

The Armed Forces of the Philippines on Tuesday said Mr. Hegseth’s visit reaffirms the US’ “ironclad” commitment to its oldest treaty ally in Asia.

The US Defense chief’s trip to the Philippines comes on the heels of his tour to Hawaii and Guam, where he would meet military leaders overseeing the Pacific region. He will also visit Japan, another Asian ally of the US that has been at odds with China over Senkaku Islands.

China claims more than 80% of the South China Sea based on a 1940s map, which a United Nations-backed arbitration court in The Hague voided in 2016 for being illegal.

Philippine and US army soldiers on Monday started three weeks of joint military exercises that focus on territorial defense and commanding large-scale deployment of forces.

About 5,000 soldiers from the Philippine Army and US Army Pacific will take part in warfighting and exchange of expertise in the first phase of this year’s Exercise Salaknib. A second phase is scheduled for later this year.

Manila has been at the forefront of efforts to contest Beijing’s expansive sea claim, deepening security ties with western countries and regional allies like Japan and Australia.

The war games between Manila and Washington’s forces have focused on enhancing the Southeast Asian nation’s ability to defend its territory from external threats, conducting past drills near potential flashpoints of the South China Sea and self-governed Taiwan, which Beijing considers a renegade state.

The People’s Daily, the newspaper of the governing Communist Party, has urged the Philippines to give up the Typhon missile system, which was deployed by US forces to the Philippines in April last year as part of joint military exercises to keep the peace in the region.

The Philippine President earlier said he was willing to pull out the US Typhon missile system once China stops its aggression in the South China Sea.

The US is the Philippines’ major security partner, with a 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty compelling both nations to defend each other in case of an armed attack.

Washington’s military has moved its Typhon launchers, which can fire multipurpose missiles up to thousands of kilometers, from Laoag airfield to another location on the island of Luzon, Reuters earlier reported.

The Philippines secured an exemption from the 90-day funding freeze that US President Donald J. Trump ordered in January so it could receive $336 million for the modernization of its security forces.

‘REAL WAR’
“If China truly believes in and is concerned about peace and stability in the region, it should abide by international law and respect the sovereignty of each country,” Ms. Castro said.

“If both parties continue to engage in word war, only time will tell when the real war will occur between the two countries,” Rommel C. Banlaoi, president of the Philippine Society for International Security Studies, said in a Viber message. “But we can avoid war and prevent armed conflicts through amity and cooperation within the principles of peaceful coexistence, mutual respect and due regard.”

Meanwhile, the Philippine Defense department said it seeks to strengthen security ties with Cambodia after a recent courtesy call by Lieutenant General Rath Dararoth, Cambodian secretary of state for the Ministry of National Defense on Mr. Teodoro on March 25.

“Secretary (Teodoro) expressed optimism about strengthening defense ties between the Philippines and Cambodia,” the agency said in a statement on Thursday. Mr. Dararoth agreed to deepen bilateral cooperation between the two Southeast Asian nations, it added.

“He extended his appreciation for the Philippines’ continued support, particularly in education and training programs,” it added.

Earlier, President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. said the Philippines should hold more frequent military training exercises with Cambodia to coordinate efforts in addressing the security challenges in the South China Sea and Indo-Pacific Region.

The South China Sea is a vital waterway for more than $3 trillion worth of annual ship-borne commerce. China, the Philippines, Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia and Vietnam have competing sea claims.

Mr. Teodoro said the Philippines would continue to engage with its regional peers to strengthen defense ties.

During the meeting, Mr. Teodoro cited the need for regional cooperation in tackling security issues and promoting mutual growth.

On Tuesday, the Philippines and Cambodia held their fourth joint defense cooperation committee meeting in Manila, where they tackled national defense plans and cybersecurity.

The Cambodian envoy said these dialogues are key to bolstering defense partnerships and regional stability. — with Adrian H. Halili

Philippines urged to shun EU-like media regulation

STOCK PHOTO | Image by memyselfaneye from Pixabay

By Beatriz Marie D. Cruz, Reporter

A PHILIPPINE government proposal to regulate harmful information online through international standards could stifle free speech, according to political analysts.

“We don’t want laws to be weaponized,” Danilo A. Arao, an associate journalist professor from the University of the Philippines, said by telephone. “Such media regulations would be tantamount to censorship even without using the word censorship; it’s de facto censorship.”

The House of Representatives has been investigating the spread of malicious and fake content online, citing its threat to democracy, national security and public trust.

Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Chief Jaybee C. Ruiz last week urged congressmen to pass a European Union (EU)-like Digital Services Act, which would outlaw the publication of harmful information online.

“I respectfully encourage our lawmakers to consider the framework of the Digital Services Act, a recently adopted EU regulation which prevents illegal and harmful activities and disinformation online, while still ensuring that the freedom of expression is upheld,” he told a House hearing.

However, many anti-fake news laws around the world have been heavily criticized for preventing freedom of expression, Mr. Arao said, citing Germany’s Network Enforcement Act, which mandates online platforms to remove illegal content or face fines of up to €50 million for systemic failures.

“What’s happening in Europe is not necessarily the context here in the Philippines, where we’ve had the history of censorship, and we’ve been under tyrannical rule,” Mr. Arao said.

The EU’s Digital Services Act itself has been deemed “incompatible” with America’s free speech tradition, US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Brendan Carr said, citing tech firms’ commitment to diversity and inclusion, Reuters reported.

“It’s incumbent upon the PCO, especially given that the likes of [PCO Undersecretary Claire A.] Castro and Ruiz have a background in journalism, to review their knowledge of censorship on the one hand and responsible gatekeeping on the other,” Mr. Arao said.

“Because we cannot afford to have media regulation under the regime of the son of the dictator, and we recall that from 1972 to 1986, there was widespread censorship then,” he pointed out.

The late dictator Ferdinand E. Marcos, Sr. — the father of the Philippine President now — declared martial law in September 1972, which led to the heavy regulation and censorship of news.

Mr. Marcos ordered the shutdown of 292 radio stations, 66 community newspapers, 11 English weekly magazines, seven major English dailies, seven television stations, four Chinese dailies, three Filipino dailies, one Spanish daily and one English-Filipino daily, data from the state-run Official Gazette showed.

‘LAZIEST APPROACH’
Michael Henry Ll. Yusingco, a lawyer and senior research fellow at the Ateneo Policy Center, said copying laws from other jurisdictions is the “laziest approach to lawmaking.”

“For now, civil society needs to help netizens be less vulnerable to disinformation,” he said in a Facebook Messenger chat.

Mr. Arao cited the need to “go back to the basics,” including stronger media literacy and education, as well as self-regulation of the press.

Jonathan de Santos, chairman of the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines, said the government should focus on seeking accountability from networks and agencies focused on spreading misleading information.

“I think one way is going after the influence networks and public relations or social agencies that are creating and spreading misleading content,” he said in a Viber message. “We haven’t really done that as we have focused on individuals.”

Lawyer Antonio Gabriel M. La Viña, convenor of Movement Against Disinformation, said media platforms should be held liable for allowing the proliferation of wrong information on their platforms.

“[Between] posting the truth versus posting an ‘untruth,’ more users will look at an ‘untruth’ because it’s controversial,” he told News and Views on One News on Wednesday.

“Media platforms benefit from hate and disinformation, so we have to punish them and even close them down if they don’t comply,” he said in mixed English and Filipino.

“Perhaps a doable intervention, whether from government or from civil society organizations, would be to call out social media platform owners and demand that they undertake third-party fact-checking and other aspects of responsible gatekeeping,” Mr. Arao said.

Representatives from social media platforms should be made to explain before the House what they are doing about responsible gatekeeping, he said, citing Meta’s removal of its third-party fact-checking feature.

The next House hearing is scheduled for April 8. Social media personalities absent at the last hearing would be cited in contempt if they fail to attend.

“Such hearings should not be within the framework of what kind of regulation you need — that’s the wrong question,” Mr. Arao said.

“The right question would be: How do we fight disinformation? Or what can government do to strengthen self-regulation in media? Or how do we find ways to strengthen media literacy and education?” he added.

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