Philippines, Singapore sign MOA to broaden defense ties

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines and Singapore have signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) to broaden the two countries’ defense ties.

“Philippines Secretary of National Defense Gilbert Teodoro Jr. and I signed the Memorandum of Understanding concerning Defense Cooperation today in Singapore,” Singapore Defense Minister Ng Eng Hen said in a post on his X account.

Ng did not expound on the extent of the MOU on defense cooperation, but added that the MOU “this year marks the 55th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Singapore and Philippines.”

Teodoro is in Singapore with a delegation of senior Philippine defense officials, including Undersecretary for Strategic Assessment and Planning Ignacio Madriaga, Armed Forces of the Philippines chief Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr., Flag Officer-in-Command of the Philippine Navy Vice Admiral Toribio D Adaci Jr. and Assistant Secretary for Strategic Assessments and International Affairs Marita Yoro. 

The Marcos administration has taken steps to forge security alliances with a number of Asian and Western countries due to the rising tension in the West Philippine Sea caused by the aggressiveness and harassment of China, through the China Coast Guard, against Philippine troops and fishermen.

In his State of the Nation Address on Monday, Marcos said the “the Philippines cannot yield. The Philippines cannot waver.” 

“We are now more conscious as a people and strategic in heightening our aerial and maritime domain awareness. We are continuing to strengthen our defense posture, both through developing self-reliance and through partnerships with like-minded states,” Marcos said.

Guided by this direction and in close cooperation with relevant partners, Teodoro earlier said the Department of National Defense (DND) fully supports efforts through appropriate diplomatic channels and established mechanisms to manage differences with other countries.

Teodoro yesterday said the DND will broaden the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP)’s strategic depth to project the Philippine forces up to the furthest limits of its exclusive economic zone (EEZ) and extended continental shelf in the West Philippines Sea.

 He said the Comprehensive Archipelagic Defense Concept (CADC) being implemented by the DND aligns with the directive of President Marcos to guarantee peace in the country and stability in the region, amid challenges to our territorial integrity and sovereign rights. 

“As expounded by the President, we are relentless in pursuing the modernization of the AFP, with our efforts to further developing our own capabilities as well as partnering with like-minded states to enhance our interoperability and promote regional stability,” Teodoro said. 

“We are grateful that the President and the Filipino people are fully behind this collective endeavor,”Teodoro said. 

Tensions continue in the West Philippine Sea amid China’s massive claim in the South China Sea, including the portion the Philippines claims in WPS. 

The SCS is a conduit for more than $3 trillion in annual ship commerce.  

Aside from the Philippines, China has overlapping claims in the area with Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia and Brunei. 

In 2016, an international arbitration tribunal in The Hague ruled in favor of the Philippines over China’s claims in the South China Sea, saying that its nine-dash line claim had “no legal basis.” 

Earlier this month, the Philippines and Japan signed a defense pact titled the Reciprocal Access Agreement, allowing the deployment of their forces in each other’s territory for joint military exercises as both countries face an increasingly assertive China.

The agreement will take effect after it is ratified by the two countries’ legislatures.

The Philippines is holding separate talks with Canada, New Zealand and France on similar defense agreements, the two Philippine officials said.