Marcos: PH-US ‘Task Force’ won’t heighten sea tensions

BUSAN, South Korea — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said Saturday that the creation of “Task Force Philippines,” a new joint initiative with the United States, would not heighten tensions in the West Philippine Sea (WPS).

Speaking to reporters in Busan, Marcos said the initiative — aimed at strengthening military cooperation and regional deterrence — should instead help maintain stability in the disputed waters.

READ: Teodoro-Hegseth talks result in ‘Task Force Philippines’

“I hope it will lower the tensions in the West Philippine Sea. It will certainly not heighten them because it’s not something new,” he said. “It’s just a heightening of tension when someone tries something new. That’s not what’s going to happen here.”

Marcos said the task force would make the Philippines and the US “a more cohesive unit” in protecting freedom of navigation in the WPS.

Asked how the new task force differs from existing security arrangements with Washington, Marcos cited differences in military assets and coordination. “There’s a carrier group, they have this, and we have this, so we have to learn how to work with a different set of parameters,” he said.

The announcement comes amid rising concerns over China’s activities in contested areas, including Panatag (Scarborough) Shoal and the Spratly Islands.

US Department of War (formerly Department of Defense) chief Pete Hegseth and Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. unveiled the task force on Friday, following discussions on joint exercises and contingency planning during last week’s ASEAN Defense Ministers’ Meeting in Malaysia. /cb/dm