PH-US joint patrols in SCS seen likely to start soon
By Raymund Antonio and Raymund Antonio
Published May 8, 2023 07:32 am
Philippine Ambassador to Washington Jose Manuel Romualdez said that the conduct of joint patrols by the Philippines and its key allies will likely happen “very soon” in the contested South China Sea.
(Photo from Philippine Embassy in Washington, D.C.)
“I foresee it to happen very soon,” Romualdez said in an interview on ANC’s Headstart on Monday, May 8. Defense ties were tops on the agenda in many of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.’s engagements with US officials last week while in Washington D.C—from a bilateral meeting with US President Joe Biden at the White House to breakfast with US Vice President Kamala Harris. The Philippines and the US have agreed to finalize the plans for joint maritime activities at the end of the US-Philippines 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue between US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and the Philippines’ Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo and Defense officer-in-charge Carlito Galvez Jr. in Washington last April. The meetings took place amid China’s growing aggression in the Asia-Pacific region that drew concerns from the Philippines and its allies. "This time, we're seriously sitting down and putting down the parameters of where the Philippines and Australia, who is obviously very much interested in joining these joint patrols or joint exercises with the United States, and hopefully, Japan will also look at this opportunity for them to join forces," Romualdez said. Apart from two countries, Japan and South Korea could join the joint patrols with the United States that will likely begin this year. Romualdez pointed out members of the Association of the Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) wanted regional peace and stability, thus paving the way for more economic activity among nations. "For us, for many of us in the ASEAN region, we want peace and stability in our area because we want more economic activity between the US and the ASEAN, and of course, China and the ASEAN," he said. According to Romualdez, there were no discussions yet when asked about having additional Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) sites. "There was no discussion on additional sites. It was more on really what these sites would be used for,” he said. “A lot of these sites have been chosen because of disaster preparedness which is very important also for us," the envoy added. The expansion of EDCA, which would add four new sites to the existing five, was met with criticism from progressive groups and China, who questioned the strengthening of military alliance between the Philippines and US amid the rising tensions in the South China Sea. The five existing EDCA locations are Antonio Bautista Air Base in Palawan, Basa Air Base in Pampanga, Fort Magsaysay in Nueva Ecija, Mactan-Benito Ebuen Air Base in Cebu, and Lumbia Air Base in Cagayan de Oro City. The new EDCA sites are in Balabac Island in Palawan and in Naval Base Camilo Osias in Sta Ana, Cagayan; Lal-lo Airport in Lal-lo, Cagayan; and Camp Melchor Dela Cruz in Gamu, Isabela.
(Photo from Philippine Embassy in Washington, D.C.)
“I foresee it to happen very soon,” Romualdez said in an interview on ANC’s Headstart on Monday, May 8. Defense ties were tops on the agenda in many of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.’s engagements with US officials last week while in Washington D.C—from a bilateral meeting with US President Joe Biden at the White House to breakfast with US Vice President Kamala Harris. The Philippines and the US have agreed to finalize the plans for joint maritime activities at the end of the US-Philippines 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue between US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and the Philippines’ Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo and Defense officer-in-charge Carlito Galvez Jr. in Washington last April. The meetings took place amid China’s growing aggression in the Asia-Pacific region that drew concerns from the Philippines and its allies. "This time, we're seriously sitting down and putting down the parameters of where the Philippines and Australia, who is obviously very much interested in joining these joint patrols or joint exercises with the United States, and hopefully, Japan will also look at this opportunity for them to join forces," Romualdez said. Apart from two countries, Japan and South Korea could join the joint patrols with the United States that will likely begin this year. Romualdez pointed out members of the Association of the Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) wanted regional peace and stability, thus paving the way for more economic activity among nations. "For us, for many of us in the ASEAN region, we want peace and stability in our area because we want more economic activity between the US and the ASEAN, and of course, China and the ASEAN," he said. According to Romualdez, there were no discussions yet when asked about having additional Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) sites. "There was no discussion on additional sites. It was more on really what these sites would be used for,” he said. “A lot of these sites have been chosen because of disaster preparedness which is very important also for us," the envoy added. The expansion of EDCA, which would add four new sites to the existing five, was met with criticism from progressive groups and China, who questioned the strengthening of military alliance between the Philippines and US amid the rising tensions in the South China Sea. The five existing EDCA locations are Antonio Bautista Air Base in Palawan, Basa Air Base in Pampanga, Fort Magsaysay in Nueva Ecija, Mactan-Benito Ebuen Air Base in Cebu, and Lumbia Air Base in Cagayan de Oro City. The new EDCA sites are in Balabac Island in Palawan and in Naval Base Camilo Osias in Sta Ana, Cagayan; Lal-lo Airport in Lal-lo, Cagayan; and Camp Melchor Dela Cruz in Gamu, Isabela.