By Dean Aubrey Caratiquet

Not long after he arrived in the Philippines from a 3-day state visit to Cambodia on Tuesday, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. graced the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) Manila Strategy Forum on Wednesday, which he touts as pivotal in bolstering ties with the United States.

This, as Marcos recognized the increasing significance of Washington to the geo-political landscape of the Indo-Pacific region, with emerging challenges becoming an omnipresent threat to the rule of law, safety, and security in the area.

The Chief Executive began his speech by recalling his earlier 3-day state visit to the United States in July, where he met with U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth at the Pentagon to express his gratitude for Washington’s continuing support towards enhancing the country’s maritime domain awareness and aiding in maritime security efforts.

President Marcos said of the regional dynamics in the Indo-Pacific, “There are big changes afoot in the Indo-Pacific, as a result of decades of globalization and the upward mobility of Asian societies.”

He noted the United States’ indispensable role in the region, “These positive transformations are largely derived from decades of what has been called Pax Americana and the creative forces of the American private sector, the cultural and educational reach of American institutions and its people, and the compelling vision of the American dream.”

The President, moreover, emphasized the three focal points that define the relationship between Washington and Manila:

• The Philippines-United States alliance serves the regional interest of upholding the rule of law and maintaining peace, security, and prosperity.

• The joint economic security between both nations complements our mutual defense.

• The alliance has stood the test of time and will continue to progress in response to emerging challenges.

PBBM underscores need to beef up maritime interventions

President Marcos, meanwhile, noted the celebration of the Maritime and Archipelagic Nation Awareness Month (MANAMo) this month of September, by virtue of Proclamation No. 336 s. 2017, renewing his call to address the most significant threat to peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region.

He emphasized such as a factual reality vis-à-vis incidents of Chinese vessels harassing Filipino fisherfolk and government vessels in the West Philippine Sea.

This, as President Marcos noted the growing trilateral, minilateral, and multilateral engagements reached by the Philippines and the United States, which is evident in the multiple Multilateral Cooperative Activities (MCA) held with other nations such as Japan, Australia, Canada, and New Zealand within the country’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).

These efforts work in tandem with the annual Balikatan exercises that enhance the camaraderie and cooperation of Philippine troops and their foreign counterparts, which is crucial in fostering unity to address common challenges.

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