AFP eyes more int’l agreements in 2026 to boost protection in WPS

MANILA, Philippines — The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) on Tuesday said it was eyeing to secure more agreements with other countries to bolster its capabilities to protect the West Philippine Sea (WPS) in 2026.

“[A]round the world, there is an increase in different geopolitical activities. Naturally, that would also impact the West Philippine Sea,” AFP spokesperson for the WPS Rear Adm. Roy Vincent Trinidad said in a press briefing in Camp Aguinaldo.

“For the year 2026, the Department of [National] Defense and the AFP will continue its robust approach through defense diplomacy through modernization and capacity-building in order to allow us to be able to respond to… any challenge in the West Philippine Sea,” he added.

READ: Filipinos trust US the most to help protect WPS interests, survey says

Trinidad cited that, in the past year, the Philippines has had “strategic” partnerships with the United States (US), Australia, New Zealand, Japan and Canada “with more coming up.”

On Monday, the Stratbase Institute said a survey it commissioned showed that Filipinos trusted the US the most when it comes to helping protect the Philippines’ interests in the WPS, followed by Japan, Canada, Australia and South Korea. /jpv