US‑Philippines 75‑Year Defense Pact Highlights Regional Power Shifts, Colonial Legacy, and Need for Inclusive, ASEAN‑Centric Security
Original framing: “As US marks 75 years of defence pact with Philippines, can it stay the course?” — South China Morning Post
Fisherfolk, indigenous peoples, women’s peace networks, and LGBTQ+ service members have voiced concerns about the social and environmental impacts of increased naval activity, yet their testimonies rarely enter policy circles. Including these groups in joint planning committees would surface hidden costs, such as loss of livelihood and cultural erosion, and could generate community‑based monitoring mechanisms. Their participation is essential for a security framework that is socially just and environmentally sound.
The 75‑year US‑Philippines defense pact is a nexus of historic colonial legacies, climate‑driven maritime change, and contemporary power competition that reproduces asymmetrical dependencies while sidelining indigenous, marginalised, and regional voices.
By foregrounding ASEAN‑led security, integrating traditional seafaring knowledge, and embedding climate‑responsive transparency, the alliance can transform from a unilateral deterrence tool into a collaborative stewardship model. Such a shift requires institutional reforms—regional legal frameworks, advisory councils, and inclusive policy boards—that redistribute decision‑making power to local communities and neighboring states. Historical precedents, from the post‑World War II decolonisation movements to the Cold War’s multilateral security pacts, demonstrate that durable peace emerges when security is co‑constructed rather than imposed. Ultimately, re‑imagining the pact through the lenses of indigenous wisdom, scientific foresight, and trickster irony reveals pathways toward a resilient, equitable maritime future.