President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. proclaimed an independent foreign policy during his State of the Nation Address (SONA) on Monday, July 25.
“The Philippines is a friend to all, enemy to none,” he said during his speech, a statement that echoed his predecessor Rodrigo Duterte’s proclamations.
Marcos’ new administration inherits the West Philippine Sea dispute with China and the challenges that come with the great power competition between the U.S. and China.
Former Supreme Court Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio, a close observer of the country’s maritime dispute with Beijing, said the policy only applies “if all our neighbors are friendly.”
“The question is: How do we respond to a country that is seizing our island territories and maritime zones? This is the issue that we have to address.,” Carpio told the PCIJ.
In a statement that prompted one of the longest applause inside the Batasang Pambansa, Marcos said he “will not preside over any process that will abandon even one square inch of territory of the Republic of the Philippines to any foreign power.”
He added: “We will be a good neighbor – always looking for ways to collaborate and cooperate with the end goal of mutually beneficial outcomes. If we agree, we will cooperate and we will work together. And if we differ, let us talk some more until we develop a consensus.”
Carpio wanted Marcos to uphold the country’s claim in the West Philippine Sea during his SONA speech. “The West Philippine Sea is the most important policy issue of the Philippines. He must declare that he will assert the arbitral award,” he said.
Julio Amador, former Foreign Service Institute Deputy Director-General, said Marcos did not need to discuss the dispute, however. But he wanted Marcos to discuss his maritime security policy “in general.”
“I’d rather that he talks about a maritime security policy in general and make concrete goals for improving maritime law enforcement, adopt a maritime zones law, and intensify the fight against IUUF (Illegal, Unreported, Unregulated Fishing).”
Duterte warmed ties with China despite the military superpower’s aggressions in the West Philippine Sea. He initiated but later canceled the abrogation of the country’s Visiting Forces Agreement with the U.S. As he was about to end his term, the U.S. and Philippine militaries held their biggest war games yet.
In his final days in office, Duterte also decided to scrap joint oil and gas exploration with China in the West Philippine Sea. This allows Marcos a clean slate in managing the sea dispute.
Observers said Marcos should learn from Duterte’s administration.
Despite Duterte’s so-called pivot to China during his administration, Beijing continued to harass the Philippine Navy ships and civilian fishing ships in the West Philippine Sea, prompting the Department of Foreign Affairs to file hundreds of diplomatic protests.
Duterte betted on an Asean Code of Conduct, hoping China would cooperate in drafting it, but it “went nowhere.” END
TOP PHOTO Courtesy of the Department of National Defense