NAGKASUNDO ang United States Defense Department at Department of National Defense ng Pilipinas na patataging ang alyansa ng dalawang bansa base sa mga kaganapan at “robust external threat” bunsod ng mga kaguluhan sa Ukraine at sigalot sa South China Sea at Taiwan Straight.
Nitong nakalipas na lingo ay nagkaharap sina U.S Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III at Senior Undersecretary Jose C. Faustino Jr., acting defense secretary ng Pilipinas kasama si Armed Forces chief of Staff General Bartolome Bacarro sa Camp Smith sa Hawaii.
“Our two countries are working together to reach a common understanding of the importance of our defense alliances and what it means to recognize each other as equal partners in advancing our respective countries interests and in promoting peace and prosperity in the region,” ani Sec Faustino sa kanilang pagpupulong.
“By deepening our cooperation and modernizing our alliances, we can help secure the Philippines’ future, tackle regional challenges and promote peace and security in the Indo-Pacific,” pahayag naman ni Sec.Austin.
Nagkasundo sina Faustino at Austin na prayoridad sa sinusulong na positioning of alliance ang pagpapalakas ng kanilang commitment sa mutual defense treaty , enhancing maritime cooperation at pagpapatatag ng kanilang mutual defense posture. Bukod sa paglinang sa kanilang interoperability at information sharing.
The United States and the Philippines have a long history together. “We fought together, we trained together,” pahayag ni Austin. “We are allies, … but we consider ourselves to be more family than anything else. And I’m proud to say … that I cannot imagine a day where the United States and the Philippines aren’t allies. It is who we are.”
Sinasabing nagkaroon ng malawakang talakayan ang dalawang defense department head hinggil sa pagpapalakas ang kanilang alyansa para matugunan ang mga emerging challenges.
But today, we agree on a number of ways to continue to grow that cooperation. As you know, we’ve been able to move forward our VFA and we discussed EDCA which is critical to our alliance cooperation, and strengthening our combined capabilities.
Aminado si Faustino na ang maselang sitwasyon ngayon sa South China Sea at West Philippine Sea ay nanatiling security concern ng bansa … we continue to engage with like-minded countries and make sure that the rule of law and the rules based on international order will prevail in the SCS.
Pahayag naman ni Austin sa ginanap pulong balitaan, We don’t want to see any type of unilateral change to the status quo in the Taiwan Strait. We are focused on making sure that we are working together to maintain a free and open Indo-Pacific.
Nilinaw ni Faustino: nababahala ang Pilipinas sa nagaganap na tensyon sa Taiwan Strait, subalit kaisa sila sa pagsusulong sa mapayapang pamamaraan para maresolba ito.
“I would like to emphasize the statement of our President. The principle guiding foreign policy is always peace, and the Philippines is concerned with the recent security developments in Taiwan, the Taiwan Strait particularly, which is just near our territory. While the Philippines adheres to the One China Policy, we urged all concerned parties to exercise restraint and diplomacy, and dialogue must prevail.”
In view of the volatile situation in the cross Straits, the PH’s immediate concern is the safety of our OFWs in Taiwan which is at this point, numbering to around 130000 to 150000 OFWs. And we continue to update and enhance our contingency plans.
It is also imperative to regularly update and exercise the PH-US mutual defense concept plan under the ambit of MDT based on our dynamic security environment. (VICTOR BALDEMOR)
