Australia, New Zealand, and Vietnam reaffirmed their strong support for the Philippines in upholding international laws.
The commitment was made during the “Community-Based Maritime Monitoring & Reporting in the West Philippine Sea,” event held in Makati City on Monday.
In his remarks, Australian Ambassador to the Philippines Marc Innes-Brown confirmed Australia’s commitment to collaborating with the Philippines on maritime objectives.
“In 2026, which is just around the corner, the embassy will officially launch the Civil Maritime Domain Investment in the Philippines with a funding allocation of AUD$18 million, or approximately P689 million. This investment will focus on capacity-building systems and strategic opportunities,” he said.
New Zealand Ambassador to the Philippines Catherine McIntosh emphasized the strong bilateral relationship between the two countries, citing the Maritime Dialogue held in June.
“As the Philippines prepares to chair ASEAN in 2026, this presents an opportunity to champion inclusive and practical maritime dialogues,” she said.
She also highlighted New Zealand’s 50-year partnership with ASEAN and its role as a founding member of the Pacific Islands Forum, expressing its readiness to work with ASEAN and Pacific members to prioritize shared goals.
Vietnamese Ambassador to the Philippines Lai Thai Binh reiterated Vietnam’s commitment to advocating for a peaceful resolution in the West Philippine Sea.
“We stand ready to work alongside the Philippines, Australia, New Zealand, and others to empower our communities in upholding international law,” he said, adding that Vietnam would continue collaborating with ASEAN members as work progresses on the finalization of the South China Sea Code of Conduct.
The event was organized by the Stratbase Institute, the Fish Right Program, and the National Maritime Center, gathering key stakeholders from government, the diplomatic community, academia, and civil society for discussions on empowering fisherfolk and coastal communities to protect their livelihoods and secure the West Philippine Sea (WPS).
The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) meanwhile reported the presence of three China Coast Guard (CCG) vessels in waters off Zambales.
In a statement, PCG spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea Commodore Jay Tarriela identified the vessels as CCG-21562, CCG-3305, and CCG-4305.
He said the PCG’s BRP Cabra continues to challenge and block the advance of CCG-21562 while monitoring the two other vessels via radar.
According to Tarriela, BRP Cabra has maintained a protective buffer of 85 to 100 nautical miles between the Chinese ships and the outer boundary of the Philippines’ Exclusive Economic Zone.
He stressed that the Chinese presence constitutes an illegal incursion into Philippine sovereign waters and violates the Philippine Maritime Zones Act, UNCLOS, and the 2016 arbitral ruling.
“The PCG remains steadfast in defending our sovereign rights and maritime jurisdiction. The PCG will not tolerate any attempt to unilaterally alter the status quo along the Luzon coastline through encroachment,” he said.
He added that the continued deployment of BRP Cabra reflects the Philippines’ commitment to upholding international law while pursuing peaceful and rules-based solutions.
