Story by Jeoffrey Maitem
The Philippine Navy (PN)’s Joint Task Force Karagatan deployed their assets for maritime patrols, the BRP Condrado Yap (PS39), PN C-90 aircraft, and Philippine Air Force FA50 on the Philippine Rise, also known as Benham Rise, to secure the country’s maritime domain.
In a statement Wednesday, the PN said that the aircraft flew by while the gallant sailors on board the Navy warship were holding a flag-raising ceremony.
“This activity is part of a series of activities by Northern Luzon Command in celebration of the 125th Philippine Independence Day and the 6th commemoration of the Philippine Rise,”
“The Joint Maritime Activities are manifestations of the Armed Forces of the Philippines’ resolve to defend territorial integrity,” Sinsuan added.
Public Affairs Officer of NoLCom Naval Forces, Lt. Zachary Sinsuan.
At the Air Force Symposium (AFS) 2023 held at the Marriott Hotel in Pasay City, Lt. Gen. Stephen Parreño, , Philippine Air Force (PAF) commanding general, said that strengthening the country’s air power is vital to the country’s ability to defend its territorial land, water, and airspace.
“Air power is [a] very important component in our joint forces especially in our territorial defense,” he told reporters as he admitted the country faces emerging security threats in the Indo-Pacific region.
In the same event, newly appointed Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. has vowed his office will continue to “strive for the protection of the country’s territories amid growing challenges in the Southeast Asian region”.
Teodoro sees air power as a “very vital component” in addressing the country’s territorial issue and it could be achieved through adapting to the current trends and technologies such as unmanned aerial systems, artificial intelligence, and space capabilities.
“By fostering innovation and cultivating partnerships with nations at the forefront of these constantly evolving technologies, we position ourselves as key players in the Indo-Pacific region as it bolsters our defense capabilities and maintains regional stability,”
Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr.
China claims nearly the entire South China Sea, including waters within the exclusive economic zones of Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Vietnam and Taiwan.
In 2016, an international tribunal ruled in favor of the Philippines and against the sweeping “nine-dash line” by which Beijing asserts its maritime claims in the strategic waterway. However, China has refused to acknowledge the ruling.
Citing raging tensions in the Taiwan Strait, Jay Batongbacal, the director of the Institute for Maritime Affairs and Law of the Sea at the University of the Philippines, said considering the proximity of Batanes Island in Luzon Strait in the northern Philippines near the South China Sea, it could be a key terrain for potential China-Taiwan conflict.
One of the scenarios he foresees if conflict erupts, Batongbacal said to ensure control of Luzon straits, China may take control of Batanes islands to use as a base for enclosing Bashi channel with anti-ship and anti-air missile coverage.
“A Chinese invasion of Taiwan would require blockading and isolating the island from access by US and other allied forces. China will bombard Taiwanese defenses first before launching amphibious and air invasions. Naval, air, and missile forces will try to prevent any naval or air forces from coming near the island, especially from either southwest or northeast,” he explained, referring to some scenarios.
According to him, China will at very least threaten the Philippines to keep out or not engage in alliance or else be subject to missile attacks.
“South China Sea artificial island base will screen out and engage any allied forces going through Straits of Malacca and Singapore and prevent them from even approaching Taiwan, as well as any other forces routing through Philippines or Celebes. China will also try to neutralize US bases as far as Guam. It will try to hold all forces at bay as far as the Pacific and SCS, until other countries are constrained to sue for peace,” he said.
In February this year, the Philippines gave the United States access to four new military sites under the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) between the two countries, an agreement that China opposed. Some analysts said Washington – having the agreement – aims to deter any plan by Beijing to attack Taiwan.
The Philippines and the United States signed in 2014 the EDCA, which supplemented the Visiting Forces Agreement of 1999. The VFA provides legal cover for large-scale joint war games between the two longtime allies.