18-5-2023 (Manila) During a visit to a remote island in Palawan province near the disputed Spratly archipelago in the South China Sea, the Philippine military chief addressed a small group of navy officers, reminding them of their mission to maintain peace. However, he also highlighted the crucial role they play in safeguarding Philippine waters against intruders. As the Philippines shifts its focus from internal security to territorial defense, the military chief assured the officers of increased resources and troops.
“We ensure that we are deployed where we are needed. In Palawan, we are needed here because this is a strategic location, so we have to be prepared,” said the military chief, Centino, after sharing a meal with the troops, enjoying a feast laid out on a banana leaf-lined table adorned with crabs, chicken, rice, fruits, and slices of roasted pig.
Centino’s visit to the Narciso del Rosario naval station, which houses a new beaching ramp and staging area, marked his second stop in the Balabac group of islands. During his visit, he also inspected a 300-hectare Philippine air base. Centino described the location of the Balabac air base as “very strategic.” It is one of the four new sites that the United States was granted access to in February under a 2014 defense pact. The pact was established during a time of concern over China’s conduct in the South China Sea and tension over self-ruled Taiwan.
The 2014 Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) allows for joint training, pre-positioning of equipment, and the construction of facilities such as runways, fuel storage, and military housing. However, it does not permit a permanent presence. While some local government officials have expressed reservations about the expanded EDCA, Billy Adriano, a resident of Balabac, welcomed it, stating that it would contribute to the security of the country.
Manila has commenced the construction of a 3-kilometer runway at the air base, which will also house facilities for humanitarian assistance, disaster relief, and barracks that could be utilized by American forces under the EDCA.
Centino emphasized the significance of the air base’s location, stating, “This is surrounded by islands, and this is where foreign vessels from international waters will enter and pass through our sea lines of communications (SLOCs).” He highlighted the need to detect and identify intrusions, recalling an incident in which a foreign vessel entered the Sulu Sea near Palawan. Although he did not specify the vessel, the Philippines had reported in March 2022 that a Chinese navy reconnaissance ship had entered and remained within the Sulu Sea near the Cuyo Group of Islands without permission, disregarding demands to depart.
China asserts sovereignty over nearly the entire South China Sea, demarcated by a “nine-dash line” on maps that extends over 1,500 kilometers from its mainland and encroaches upon the exclusive economic zones of Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei, and Indonesia. However, an international arbitral ruling in 2016 dismissed this line as lacking a legal basis.
“It is important that we are able to monitor and detect those who enter and exit… whether they are hostile or friendly forces,” Centino stressed, underlining the need for vigilant surveillance.
The visit by the Philippine military chief serves to underscore the country’s commitment to defending its territorial waters amid ongoing tensions in the South China Sea.
