US focusing on PH over rest of Southeast Asia - expert

Metro Manila, Philippines - The United States has focused on treaty ally the Philippines over the rest of Southeast Asia, indicating the country’s significance in the Trump administration’s engagement in the region, an expert said on Friday, March 7.

Speaking at a Stratbase Forum in Makati City, Gregory Poling, senior fellow and director of the Southeast Asia Program and Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), said the collaboration extends to Japan trilateral and bilateral partnerships.

Poling noted the exemption of military aid for the Philippines, along with Taiwan and Ukraine.

"The Philippines is the only country in Asia that explicitly had its military assistance unlocked as a result of Secretary [Enrique] Manalo's meeting with Secretary [Marco] Rubio. That's a pretty good sign.

“It means that there's a recognition within the US Department of State and Department of Defense that the military alliance and the US capacity-building assistance for the Philippines is a critical national interest, one that can't wait or whatever process is ongoing right now to try to rationalize US foreign assistance," said Poling.

He noted the number of engagements the Philippines had weeks into the Trump administration compared to other countries in Asia, based on meetings with the US.

"This tells us that the (Trump) administration is committed to putting the time and energy into developing these relationships. That is particularly important given the relative lack of interest that the administration has so far shown toward the rest of Southeast Asia," said Poling.

"We have seen almost no attention to ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations). Malaysia, as ASEAN chair, has received no phone calls or visits at the cabinet level, and there doesn't seem to be much interest from either party," he added.

Polling said there appears to be no clear Asia or Southeast Asia strategy for the US.

"The Philippines, by getting so much attention - both funding and high-level attention - is being singled out as a partner and an ally, not as part of a Southeast Asia strategy, but for its unique relationship with the US bilaterally," he said.

The expert noted that the US will likely pursue more focused cooperation.

"Their engagements are going to be bilateral, or they're going to focus on preferred ‘minilaterals’ like the Quad or perhaps like the US-Japan-Philippines trilateral," he said.

In an earlier interview, Philippine Ambassador to the US Jose Manuel Romualdez said the "ironclad" alliance between the Philippines and the US will remain strong under the Trump administration, but the country must always be prepared for any eventuality.

"It seems both are interested in continuing our mutual defense treaty, which is supposed to be ironclad. Remember, again, this ironclad moniker was actually put in place by the first Trump administration," Romualdez said in a virtual interview with reporters on Tuesday, March 4

He added that the Marcos administration is committed to strengthening defense capabilities and its self-defense posture amid growing challenges in the region.

"It is ironclad. But we have to always be ready for, you know, there's only one thing that's permanent in this world, and that's change. And so, everything changes as time goes by," he said.

Romualdez also noted that modernizing the armed forces remains a priority for the administration.