Embracing a civil maritime, whole-of-society approach in West Philippine Sea

As a marine and archipelagic nation, the Philippines carries the task of implementing a comprehensive security strategy to secure its borders. As geopolitical risks evolve, so too must its approaches. This is most evident in the West Philippine Sea, where gray zone tactics range from swarming of foreign vessels, incidents of military-grade lasers, blasting of water cannons, artificial island building, and, most recently, destroying its marine biodiversity. These actions ultimately disturb the peace and stability in the maritime territory, calling for a more responsive and strategic approach. 

The Western Command of the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine Coast Guard have confirmed the destructive activities in Philippine waters, causing extensive damage to the country's coral reef system, particularly in the Rozul Reef and Escoda Shoal. These incidents highlight the fact that resolving the issue is not only a military concern; it is one that requires a whole-of-society approach. 

The commitment to cooperate in the West Philippine Sea is rooted in the fact that the Philippines is on the right footing. Its victory in the 2016 ruling of the Permanent Court of Arbitration made clear that illegal acts of China have caused environmental damage to the marine biodiversity in the area.

Sadly, these aggressive actions continue until today, causing severe and irreversible damage to the marine environment. For 53% of Filipinos, protecting marine resources and the environment is the top reason to strengthen efforts to defend and protect the West Philippine Sea, according to the Pulse Asia survey commissioned by the Stratbase ADR Institute in December 2022. With the developments in the West Philippine Sea, the support of Filipinos for marine environment protection will surely deepen and expand. 

The evolution of security risks points out areas for improvement within the present security strategy. The reporting of the harvesting of corals has ignited a shared concern among different sectors of Philippine society. This has triggered calls for strengthened marine science research in the West Philippine Sea and intensified cooperation among national and local