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MANY opportunities (and dangers) lie in the sea. Because the sea plays a major role in globalization, it also provides an access to actions of oppression, drug trafficking, illegal immigration, smuggling, and other illicit activities.
Countries invest on their maritime forces and capabilities to man the waters not only to protect their sovereignty, but also to establish peace and security. Many reefs, islands and waterways remain contested. A prime example is the ongoing territorial dispute between the Philippines and China in the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea).
Despite China’s alarming actions over the contested waters, the Philippines remains passive and seeks the intervention of impartial experts to help resolve the tension in the territorial dispute. Through the International Tribunal on the Law of the Sea (ITLOS), the Philippine government seeks to settle its dispute with China amicably and diplomatically.
Some experts say that the maritime impasse has been going for far too long that an arbitration may not be the solution anymore—especially since China never ceased on its reclamation activities on the contested areas.
The Philippines is militarily outmatched with China. By Western standards, its military capability has yet to prove itself. An example is its lack of sufficient transport aircraft capable of supporting large-scale troop movements. Because it lags behind, the Philippines needs its foreign neighbors to achieve such potential.
On Monday, April 20, the Philippines and the United States formally began their annual Balikatan war games. Eleven thousand Filipino and American forces will participate in activities focusing on maritime domain and capability.
Brigadier Gen. Rodolfo Santiago clarified that this year’s Balikatan exercises will not address a specific threat or zero in on possible response to the current tension in the West Philippine Sea.
“It would be prudent for any country to prepare for any external threat… The defense we are developing is for all those that would like to do harm to the Philippines, as it was stated in the Mutual Defense Treaty,” Santiago said.
US Ambassador to the Philippines Philip Goldberg shared this sentiment. He said that the Balikatan exercises are not aimed at any country or group of countries, but will confront emerging challenges across the Asia Pacific region.
Goldberg reiterated that the 31st annual war games seek to enhance the capabilities of both nations’ armed forces, as anchored on provisions of the 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty.
“We make no pretense that we are helping the Philippines as it fields a minimum credible defense and pretext its maritime security, and to be clear the US is committed to its alliances… In the case of the Philippines, our oldest ally in the region, that commitment—as President [Barack] Obama has said—is ironclad,” he said.
Some 70 members of the Australian Defense Force will also take part in the defense exercises, while international observers from Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, Timor Leste, India, Japan, and South Korea, will also be present at the 10-day event.
Both Filipino and American troops stand to benefit in these military exercises. It is through times like this that the close US-Philippine partnership proves its value. Aside from cementing the already strong ties between the two nations, part of the Balikatan exercises will also include humanitarian assistance and disaster response.
Coincidence or not, it will also be good for the Philippine military to improve its defense posture just in case a belligerent scenario arises.
(AJPress)