CANBERRA—President Aquino’s fifth State of the Nation Address carried an understated message to China concerning the Philippines’ maritime disputes with Beijing in the South China Sea. The message was tucked in Page 11 of the 22-page English text of the Sona.
Without naming China, and sounding almost innocuous, the message read: “Let us now talk about security. We are aware of the challenges our country faces, and we also know the high cost of the equipment we need. Today, I am glad to report to you the ongoing modernization of the [Armed Forces of the Philippines]. We have acquired brand-new assets, including eight Sokol combat utility helicopters, three Augusta Westland-109 helicopters, and the first landing craft utility ship built right here in the country, the BRP Tagbanua, four refurbished UH-1 helicopters, and two navy cutters have also arrived. This past May, we also inaugurated the Naval Forces West’s state-of-the-art Command Center in Palawan (near the disputed Spratly Islands—AD).
“Next year, two out of the 12 FA-50 lead-in fighter jets we procured will arrive in the country. (Applause)
“We expect the rest to be delivered in 2017. We are also targeting the acquisition of an additional eight Bell combat utility helicopters, two antisubmarine helicopters, 10 more Augusta Westland-109 helicopters, two light-lift aircraft, three medium-lift aircraft, radar systems, all of which are brand-new. These, along with other new equipment, will boost the capacity of our armed forces. (Applause) Meanwhile, we are expecting the delivery of 17 additional refurbished UH-1 helicopters by September this year.
“The M4 assault rifles we bought our soldiers have likewise arrived. In the next few months, the total number of rifles that will be in the hands of our soldiers: 50,629 units. On top of this, through a correct and transparent procurement process and honest management of funds, we were able to save more than P1.2 billion, which we will use to purchase even more rifles.
“I must emphasize: these rifles are brand-new and of good quality from a veteran manufacturer. Was it not true that before, our funds were depleted in the purchase of Kevlar helmets that were not even according to specifications? Instead of buying from the United States, these helmets were purchased from another country.”
This buildup of military inventory was done in the spirit of the injunction of US President Theodore Roosevelt, “Speak softly but carry a big stick.” Obviously, the government was trying to avoid being provocative and giving the impression that it was saber-rattling and standing up tit-for-tat to the military giant to the north. Clearly, it would be extremely foolish, and beyond our means, to engage our neighbors in an arms race, which has never been our tradition, in order to defend ourselves from external aggression.
Obviously, our defense buildup is based on military hardware that can do more than engage naval and coast guard vessels intruding into territories over which we claim sovereignty. The weapons in our arsenal are lethal enough to sink or shoot down hostile vessels, and even color the South China Sea with the blood of invading forces.
In the Sona, the government served notice that this small country being bullied by a powerful neighbor is not a paper tiger. It is arming itself to the teeth and is preparing to use its weapons capable of giving a bloody nose to any aggressive neighbor grabbing territories in disputes that have now been elevated to the United Nations arbitral tribunal through peaceful and diplomatic means.
As emphasized by Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop during the recent visit to Canberra of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe—whose country is ramping up a security alliance with the Philippines—China “does not respect weakness” of smaller neighbors which are resisting its efforts to establish its hegemony in the South and East China Seas.
The AFP reported recently that in Dailan shipyard in southern China, Beijing’s first aircraft carrier Liaoning was being refitted. The carrier was undergoing maintenance preparatory to a launch to demonstrate its capability to put to sea a blue-water navy to surpass Japan’s Self-Defense Forces, and ultimately rival the US Navy, the master of the Pacific.