Commendable acts of bravery to defend the Philippines’ national security

As the Indo-Pacific emerges as the primary theater for geopolitical activity, the region is confronted by asymmetric security challenges, particularly in the maritime domain.

This includes an upsurge of gray zone activities performed by aggressive and coercive actors to assert their power and influence by circumventing international law.

Gray zone activities, which stand below the threshold of conflict, include illegal island building and swarming of vessels.

In the case of the Philippines, the West Philippine Sea has been a breeding ground for gray zone tactics. These tactics performed by Chinese Coast Guard vessels and militias threaten to disrupt the rules-based order.

As part of efforts to protect and defend the country from foreign aggressors, the West Philippine Sea remains at the core of the foreign and security policies of the country. Since the beginning of the current administration, the Philippines has taken a proactive stance on the assertion of its national sovereignty, territorial integrity, and economic rights in the area.

The Philippines continues its pursuit of an assertive transparency strategy to increase awareness and gain public support on incidents in the maritime domain.

The publication of images and videos and the conduct of joint press briefings serve to combat false claims and narratives. As the Philippines strengthens its implementation of this strategy, however, there is a marked, unprecedented regularity and intensity of Chinese aggression as well.

For instance, the firing of water cannons by Chinese Coast Guard vessels has become a common practice to disrupt routine rotation and resupply missions of the Philippines to BRP Sierra Madre in Ayungin Shoal. Shadowing of vessels and performing dangerous maneuvers have also been a regular occurrence in the region.

These activities not only blatantly disregard well-established international laws but also undermine the Philippines’ rights, endanger the lives of Filipinos at sea, jeopardize the livelihood of Filipino fisherfolk, and cause severe damage to the marine environment.

Last month, Chinese vessels once again attempted to restrict the passage of Filipino vessels in the West Philippine