Enhanced PH ties with US, allies vital to boost WPS claims: analyst

By Ruth Abbey Gita-Carlos, Philippine News Agency

Geopolitical analyst Don McLain Gill says there is “no radical shift” when it comes to Philippine-United States alliance under the Trump presidency during the Saturday News Forum on Nov. 9, 2024 in Quezon City. (PNA photo by Joan Bondoc)

MANILA – The Philippines must continue strengthening its alliance with the United States (US) and other foreign partners amid its intensified efforts to protect its sovereign rights over the West Philippine Sea (WPS), a geopolitical analyst said Saturday.

De La Salle University professor Don McLain Gill emphasized the importance of enhanced foreign partnerships to ensure the effective implementation of new maritime laws aimed at reinforcing the Philippines’ sovereign rights over its territorial waters.

Gill also cited the need for the Marcos administration to hold “proactive negotiations” under the leadership of US President-elect Donald Trump, saying he believes that a Trump presidency is “advantageous” to the Philippines.

“I don’t expect any radical shift na magkakaroon sa alliance natin (in our alliance), particularly in the field of defense and security. Let me tell you why. The Philippine-US alliance today has become so consequential that they can trust both the Philippines and the United States,” he said during the Saturday News Forum in Quezon City.

“Now, one of the major challenges is that Trump is known to be transactional. What does that mean? What does that mean for us? When we talk about transactionalism, Manila would need to endeavor to position itself effectively within Trump’s transactional perspective of international politics.”

Gill said the Philippines needs to enhance its level of negotiation with the US, making sure that the dialogue between the two countries remains “open and consistent.”

The Philippines, he said, must let the Trump administration know that “our issues are not just our issues but also issues that greatly concern and affect US interests.”

“We need to get that on the table as much as possible to maintain consistency in policy direction,” he said, adding that it is an “undeniable fact” that China is the “most consequential challenge to US interests” in the Indo-Pacific Region.

Not a provocative act

Gill noted that China, being an “expansionist power,” is opposed to the Philippines’ latest move to legislate two laws declaring the maritime zones under Philippine jurisdiction and designating sea lanes in the country for foreign vessels and aircraft.

However, he said, the signing of the twin maritime laws is in accordance with the international law, the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and the Permanent Court of Arbitration’s 2016 ruling on the South China Sea.

“This is merely a reflection of operation of the international law. China is party to the UNCLOS so I believe that there shouldn’t be any disruption or any divergence of interest,” he said.

“There’s nothing provocative about that. It is merely upholding international law. And as an active stakeholder of the Indo-Pacific’s rules-based maritime domain, this is a practical step, an important step for the Philippines.”

Gill said the new maritime laws are designed to safeguard WPS amid China’s maritime aggression.

“In terms of enforcement, this is where we would need to align this approach with what we are doing with our partners, our allies, our like-minded partners to enhance maritime security cooperation activities that we would need to operationalize the scope of the Maritime Zones Law,” he said.

Marcos on Friday signed the Maritime Zones Act or Republic Act (RA) 12064, which defines the country’s internal waters, archipelagic waters, 12 nautical miles territorial sea, 24 nautical miles contiguous zone from the baselines, and the 200 nautical miles exclusive economic zone and continental shelf where the Philippines can exercise sovereign rights and jurisdiction.

He also signed the Archipelagic Sea Lanes Act or RA 12065, designating the sea lanes and air routes suitable for the continuous and expeditious passage of foreign ships and aircraft through or over its archipelagic water and the adjacent territorial sea, to prevent arbitrary international passage in the Philippine archipelago.