Policy Coherence and Consistency: An Analysis of the Philippine Foreign Policy towards the West Philippine Sea
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Abstract
The territorial dispute in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) has long been a significant threat to the peace and security of not only the Philippines but also of the broader Indo-Pacific region. Despite the emergence of other key global issues, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, tensions in the disputed islands have continued to escalate, compelling the Philippines to pursue various strategies to protect and promote its national interests. This research aims to analyze and compare the consistency and coherence of the foreign policy strategies pursued by the last three administrations, namely the Aquino, Duterte, and Marcos Jr. administrations, with regard to the WPS. It seeks to understand and evaluate the foreign policy of each administration through the lens of both international relations and public policy theories. To produce substantive qualitative research, the author utilized a variety of data sources, including relevant literature, interviews with Philippine diplomats, and official statements by the Presidents. Considering that the Philippines elects a new president every six years and a confluence of factors affect its foreign policy, this paper advocates for a consistent and coherent foreign policy that transcends presidential terms. Given that war is never an option for the country, the President, as the chief architect of Philippine foreign policy, must exhaust all diplomatic measures available to protect and promote the nation’s interests.
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S. RODILLAS, Ira Lizeth.
Policy Coherence and Consistency: An Analysis of the Philippine Foreign Policy towards the West Philippine Sea.
Policy & Governance Review, [S.l.], v. 9, n. 1, p. 78-92, feb. 2025.
ISSN 2580-4820.
Available at: <https://journal.iapa.or.id/pgr/article/view/1221>. Date accessed: 27 mar. 2025.
doi: https://doi.org/10.30589/pgr.v9i1.1221.
Section
Articles
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
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Viray, P. L., & Deiparine, C. (2021, May 6). “Just a piece of paper”: Duterte says he will “throw away” Philippines’ arbitral win vs China. Philstar.com. https://www.philstar.com/ headlines/2021/05/06/2096287/just- piece-paper-duterte-says-he-will-throw- away-philippines-arbitral-win-vs-china
Anyebe, A. A. (2018). An overview of approaches to the study of public policy. International Journal of Political Science (IJPS), 4(1), 8–17. https://doi.org/10.20431/2454-9452.0401002
Aquino, B., III. (2010, July 26). Benigno S. Aquino III, First State of the Nation Address July 26, 2010. State of the Nation Address, Philippines. https://www.officialgazette. gov.ph/2010/07/26/state-of-the-nation- address-2010/
Aquino, B., III. (2011, July 25). Benigno S. Aquino III, Second State of the Nation Address, July 25, 2011. State of the Nation Address, Philippines. https://mirror.officialgazette. gov.ph/2011/07/25/benigno-s-aquino- iii-second-state-of- the-nation-address- july-25-2011/
Arugay, A. A., & Storey, I. (2023). A Strategic Reset?: The Philippines-United States Alliance under President Marcos Jr. ISEAS Perspective, 40, DS521 I78 No. 2023/40. https://sealionplus.iseas.edu.sg/nodes/ view/25494?keywords=
Bautista, L. (2018). The South China Sea Arbitral Award: Evolving Post-Arbitration Strategies, Implications and Challenges. Asian Politics & Policy, 10(2), 178–189. https://do1.org/10.1111/aspp.12398
Coherence. (n.d.). In Merriam-Webster Dictionary. https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/coherence
Consistency.(n.d.). In Merria m-Webster Dictionary. https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/consistency
De Castro, R. C. (2020). The limits of intergovernmentalism: the Philippines’ changing strategy in the South China Sea dispute and its impact on the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). Journal of Current Southeast Asian Affairs, 39(3), 335–358. https:// doi.org/10.1177/1868103420935562
De Castro, R. C. (2023). The Marcos Administration’s Foreign Policy towards the Great Powers: Seeking the Elusive Balance in Dealing a Changing Indo-Pacific Region. E ast Asian Policy, 15(04), 95–115. https://doi. org/10.1142/s1793930523000314
De Leon, D. (2022, July 25). FULL TEXT: President Marcos’ State of the Nation Address 2022. Rappler . https://www.r appl e r.com/ philippines/full-text-transcript-president- marcos-jr-state-nation-address-2022/
De Leon, H. S., & De Leon, H. M., Jr. (2014). Textbook on the Philippine Constitution (2014th ed.). REX Book Store. Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA). (n.d.). Philippine Foreign Policy. Department of Foreign Affairs. https://dfa. gov.ph/about/phl- foreign-policy
Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA). (2022, June 13). Statement: On The Manila Times Article On Diplomatic Protests [Press release]. https:// dfa.gov.ph/authentication- functions/113-newsroom/public-advisory/30693-statement-on-the-manila-times-article-on- diplomatic-protests
De Santos, J. (2021, May 11). Duterte stresses jet ski boast was just a campaign joke. Philstar.com. https://www.philstar.com/ headlines/2021/05/11/2097450/duterte- stresses -jet-ski-boast-was-just-campaign- joke
Duterte, R.R. (2016, July 25). Rodrigo Roa Duterte, First State of the Nation Address, July 25, 2016. State of the Nation Address, Philippines. https://mirror.officialgazette. go v.ph/2016/07/25/rodrigo-roa-duterte-first-state-of-the- nation-address- july-25-2016/
Dye, T. R. (2016). Understanding public policy. Canadian journal of political science, 15(4), 579–580. Pearson.
Fonbuena, C. (2017, November 14). Duterte reaffirms EDCA, U.S. ties in meeting with Trump. Rappler. https://www.rappler. com/philippines/188459- duterte-trump- edca- military-ties-asean-summit-2017- philippines/
Garcia, Ma. A. (2020, June 30). China throws support for Philippines’ war on drugs, tells UN body to stop prejudice. GMA News Online. https://www.gmane twork.com/news/topstories/nation/744912/china-throws- support-for-philippines-war-on-drugs-tells- un-body-to-stop-prejudice/story/
Heiduk, F., & Wilms, T. (2022). Early contours of Philippine Foreign Policy under Ferdinand Marcos Jr.: like father, like son. Stiftung Wissenschaft Und Politik (SWP), 56. https:// www.swp-berlin.org/en/publication/early- contours-of-philippine-foreign- policy- under-ferdinand-marcos-jr
Heydarian, R. J. (2018). Mare Liberum: Aquino, Duterte, and the Philippines’ evo lving lawfare strategy in the South China Sea. Asian Politics & Policy, 10(2), 283–299. https://doi.org/10.1111/aspp.12392
Heydarian, R. J. (2022, June 13). For eign Policy under Marcos Jr.: More like Father than Out going Duterte . Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative. https://amti.csis. org/foreign- policy-under-marcos-jr-more- like-father-than-outgoing-duterte/
Heywood, A. (2011). Global Politics. Palgrave Macmillan. Jacobini, H. B. (1961). Main Patterns of Philippine Foreign Policy. The Review of Politics, 23(4), 507–530. http:// www.jstor.org/stable/1405707
Mahmud, R. (2017). Understanding institutional theory in public policy. Dynamics of Public Administration, 34(2), 135. https://doi. org/10.5958/0976-0733.2017.00011.6
Medillo, R. J. (2020). Seeking accountability, legitimacy, and transparency: Congressional intervention in the Philippines’ South China Sea policy. Philippine Political Science Journal, 41(1–2), 161–191. https://doi. org/10.1163/2165025x-bja10008
Musico, J. (2020, September 23). Duterte affirms arbitral ruling on SCS before UN General Assembly. Philippine News Agency. https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1116296#: ~: text= Duterte%20added%20that%20the%20PCA's,undermine%20 it%2C%E2%80%9D%20he%20said.
Olsen, G. R. (2008). Coherence, consistency and political will in f or eign policy: The European Union’s Policy to wards Africa. Perspectives on European Politics and Society, 9(2), 157–171. https://doi.org/10.1080/15705850801999644
Office of the President. (2015, July 27). [English] Benigno S. Aquino III, Sixth State of the Nation Address, July 27, 2015. Official Gazette. https:// www.officialgazette.gov.ph/2015/07/27/ english-president-aquino-sixth-sona/
Office of the President, Establishing a National Coast Watch System, Providing for Its Structure and Defining The Roles and Responsibilities of Members in Providing Coordinated Inter-Agency Maritime Security Operations and For Other Purposes, Exec. Ord. No. 57, § 2011 (Sep. 06, 2011) (Phil.), https://www.officialgazette. gov.ph/2011/09/06/executive-order-no-57-s-2011/.
Pangalangan, R. C. (2022). Philippine materials in international law. https://doi.org/10.1163/9789004469723
Portela, C., & Raube, K. (2009). “(In-)Coherence in EU Foreign Policy: Exploring Sources and Remedies.” Paper Presented at the European Studies Association Bi-annual Convention, Los Angeles, 23-25 April 2009, Los Angeles, CA.https://ink.library.smu.edu. sg/soss_research/1751
Ranada, P. (2016, October 25). Duterte wants to scrap EDCA. Rappler. https://www.rappler. com/philippines/150262-duterte-edca-no- foreign-troops/
Ranada, P. (2019, July 30). ‘His word is law’: A list of Duterte’s verbal-only orders. Rappler. https://www.rappler.com/newsbreak/ iq/236609-list-duterte-verbal-only-orders/
Resos, A. B. (2013). The Foreign Policy of President Ferdinand Marcos: From Traditionalism to Realism. UUM Repository, 6(1), 1. http://repo.uum.edu.my/14440/
Rocamora, J. A. L. (2021, November 24). 231 protests filed vs. Chinese activities since 2016: DFA. Philippine News Agency. https://www. pna.gov.ph/articles/1160729
Sabillo, K. A. (2016, January 16). Aquino: Edca has practical purpose of boosting PH’s armed force. Inquirer. https://globalnation.inquirer. net/135132/aquino-edca-has- practical- purpose-of-boosting-phs-armed-force
Sianipar, I. M. J. (2023). China – the Philippines relations in the Belt and Road Initiative cooperation framework. Reality of Politics, 23(1), 68–84. https://doi.org/10.15804/rop2023105
Southgate, L. (2019). The Sou t h China Sea dispute. In ASEAN Resistance to Sovereignty Violation: Interests, Balancing and the Role of the Vanguard State (1st ed., pp. 163–212). Bristol University Press. https://doi.org/10.2307/j.ctvg5bt4s.10
The Constitution of the Republic of the Philippines. (1987). Official Gazette of the Republic of the Philippines. https://www.officialgazette. gov.ph/constitutions/1987-constitution/
Tomacruz, S. (2022, May 26). In turnaround, Marcos pledges to uphold Hague ruling. Rappler. https://www.rappler.com/philippines/marcos-jr-pledges-uphold- hague-ruling-west-philippine-sea/
Ubac, M. L. (2012, September 13). It’s official: Aquino signs order on WPS. Inquirer . https://globalnation.inquirer.net/50012/it s-official -aquino-signs-or der-on- westphilippine-sea
Viray, P. L., & Deiparine, C. (2021, May 6). “Just a piece of paper”: Duterte says he will “throw away” Philippines’ arbitral win vs China. Philstar.com. https://www.philstar.com/ headlines/2021/05/06/2096287/just- piece-paper-duterte-says-he-will-throw- away-philippines-arbitral-win-vs-china