Amid defense revamp, Australia keen on helping Philippines with maritime security
As ties between the two countries grow amid an evolving regional landscape, Australia hopes to further capacitate the Philippines by providing opportunities for training in maritime security – either through training exercises or through educational opportunities.
Aside from assisting the Philippines in counterterrorism efforts and in addressing the online sexual abuse of children, among the priority areas Australia sees in improving its bilateral relationship with the country is a program to help protect its sovereignty and territorial rights.
China embassy claims envoy 'misquoted' in comments on OFWs in Taiwan
Chinese Embassy in the Philippines on Monday claimed its envoy was "misquoted or misinterpreted" after the contents of Ambassador Huang Xilian's speech made headlines over the weekend.
Huang late last week made reference to the thousands of Overseas Filipino Workers in Taiwan and said that they would be in danger if the Philippines does not oppose Taiwan independence, an issue that the country has not touched because of its adherence to the One China policy recognizing the People's Republic of China.
From A to Z: Discussions at the US-Philippines defense, foreign affairs dialogue
As war games begin in back home, US and Philippine officials pave ways to modernize the alliance and craft specific plans moving forward.
Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo and Defense Officer-in-Charge Senior Undersecretary Carlito Galvez Jr. are in Washington DC for the 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue, with counterparts US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin.
“We’ve reached a number of key understandings that the Philippines believes will truly elevate our relationship and translate into direct, substantial and tangible benefits for our peoples and countries,” Manalo said in his opening speech.
Kalayaan LGU turns to tourism, game fishing in tense West Philippine Sea
Kalayaan island aims to be the next "center of adventure tourism" in Palawan as its local government unit prepares to open its first week-long expedition to the public.
Kalayaan aims to be a "special zone for tourism and marine fisheries" by 2040 despite ongoing geopolitical tensions in the West Philippine Sea.
"We are really committed to making this work," said Ken Hupanda, program manager at the Tourism Promotions and Development program of Kalayaan town. "It is our mandate to at least make Kalayaan just like any other municipality in the Philippines because, for us, the only time we can claim that an area is truly ours is if we operate as a regular municipality."
Philippines' balancing act: Independence while maintaining 'complex' relationships
The US has reaffirmed its support for the defense of its former colony and current ally partner but analysts underscore that the decades-old alliance is not the "be all and end all" of Philippine foreign policy.
Manila’s next challenge — as it pursues its diplomatic thrust of being a "friend to all, enemy to none" — is to balance the "two great powers" in the region. Mark Manantan, director of cybersecurity and critical technologies at foreign policy research institute Pacific Forum International, said trying to get concessions from both the US and China is going to be the country’s new normal.
Marcos foreign policy so far: Clear stance on sea dispute, clemency bid for Mary Jane Veloso
In the first 100 days that Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. has been president, his administration was able to drive home an unequivocal message on the West Philippine Sea and ask for executive clemency on behalf of detained OFW Mary Jane Veloso.
Julio Amador, founder and CEO of Amador Research Services, said one of the highlights of the first 100 days of the Marcos administration is the now clear stance on how the Philippines will approach the West Philippine Sea issue with China.
The 2016 Hague ruling invalidated China’s sweeping nine-dash claims over areas of the West Philippine Sea and ruled that it is under the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone and continental shelf.
However, Beijing continues to insist that it is “illegal, null, and void.” The Philippines has filed hundreds of diplomatic protests against China’s encroachment on its sovereignty while at sea.
What the Philippines can learn from China's reaction to Pelosi's Taiwan visit
After seeing how China reacted to visits to Taiwan by US officials over the past weeks, analysts point out that the Philippines should prepare to build its capacity and form strategic alliances to defend its territories.
Professor Herman Kraft, political science department chair at the University of the Philippines, noted that China’s playbook "is based on gray zones and short-term gains that [change] conditions on the ground in preparation for the next short-term objective."
"Our lesson here should be to be more active [in] matching the Chinese presence, and asserting our own positions," Kraft said.
"Ceding ground to China by claiming that we are not capable of winning a war against them falls into the trap of looking at the issue from the Chinese perspective."