Pinas, bukas sa kooperasyon sa gitna ng ‘unpredictable’ Indo-Pacific

HANDA ang Pilipnas na palalimin pa ang kooperasyon sa ibang bansa para harapin ang “unpredictable” security challenges sa Indo-Pacific.

Tiniyak ni Pangulong Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. na hindi ikokompromiso ng Maynila ang soberanya nito kahit pa at habang pinapalakas ang alyansa nito.

Sa pagsasalita sa pambungad na Manila Strategy Forum, binigyang diin ni Pangulong Marcos ang papel ng bansa “at the forefront” ng regional tensions, tinukoy ang araw -araw na harassment na hinaharap ng Philippine vessels at mangingisda sa West Philippine Sea.

“Today, the most significant threat to the peace and stability we strive for is right here in our own neighborhood, here in the Indo-Pacific region. And this is not just an opinion. It is a fact,” ayon sa Pangulo.

“Our government vessels and fisherfolk continue to be harassed in our own waters, and we remain on the receiving end of illegal, coercive, aggressive, and dangerous actions in the South China Sea.”ang pahayag pa rin ni Pangulong Marcos.

Hindi naman lingid sa kaalaman ng lahat na tila nakagapos na ang Pilipinas at Tsina sa long-standing maritime dispute sa ilang bahagi ng West Philippine Sea, bahagi ng South China Sea na inaangkin ng Tsina bilang pag-aari nito. Sa naging pagpapasya ng 2016 arbitral tribunal na pabor sa Maynila at pinawalang-saysay ang pag-angkin ng Beijing.

Ani Pangulong Marcos, ang collective action ngayon ay “absolutely essential” inilarawan nito ang hamon ngayon bilang “not bound by borders.”

“The alliance of the Philippines and the United States has reached a necessary and natural progression towards trilateral and minilateral, multilateral engagements, building individual and collective capabilities to address common challenges,” ang winika pa rin ng Pangulo.

Tinukoy ang lumalagong partnerships ng bansa sa ilalim ng joint maritime activities sa Estados Unidos, Japan, Australia, Canada, at New Zealand, at maging ang trilateral economic projects gaya ng Luzon Economic Corridor kasama ang Washington at Tokyo.

Tinuran ng Pangulo na “security cannot stand without shared prosperity.”

“Strengthening our common security requires strengthening our economies. We do not take our mature security alliance as a license to remain on autopilot, to be complacent,” ang sinabi pa rin ng Pangulo.

Gayunman, giit ng Pangulo na habang ang Plipinas ay bukas sa kooperasyon, mananatiling ‘paramount’ ang soberanya.

“Respect for our sovereignty, sovereign rights, and jurisdiction is, and has always been and will always be, non-negotiable,” ang sinabi ni Pangulong Marcos.

Aniya pa, ” The Philippines’ 2026 chairship of ASEAN and its 80th year of diplomatic ties with the United States would be opportunities to showcase “a free and open Indo-Pacific that is connected, inclusive, and prosperous.”

( Daris Jose)