Can the Philippines really rely on its defense pact with the US in the face of China's bully tactics in the West Philippine Sea?

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But how far do you think the U.S. would go to protect or defend the Philippines?

Well, I'm going to tell you this.

I haven't been in the United States for some time now,

and not only as the ambassador, but even before that.

I have never seen the seriousness of our relationship

in the sense that everything is being, all things considered,

both sides of the aisle, meaning the Republicans and the Democrats

all are together with us when it comes to the arbitral award that we are given

and that they are definitely against any kind of aggressive behavior coming from China.

I'll ask about something very specific,

because Secretary Blinken actually mentioned in his statement

that the U.S. is going to protect the Philippines.

Including those of its Coast Guard.

So, it means that if our Coast Guard is attacked by an armed attack,

we don't want that to happen.

But if that happens, a lot of people will ask,

would the United States actually go to war over something like this with China?

You know, going to war is probably not the right word for it.

The United States will make good their commitment to us

that if in the event that,

if anyone of our, like the Coast Guard, for instance, is harmed

or anyone gets killed or anything,

that is enough for the invocation of the Mutual Defense Treaty.

But we're trying to avoid that completely.

What our Defense Department has said,

we're using maximum restraint in every way we can

because we're still hopeful that our friends

or our neighbor to the North will come to their senses

that there is no need to go into this aggressive behavior.

But we will continue to do what we're doing,

which is to supply our soldiers who are in the Sierra Madre,

in the U.N. Shoal,

and for the rest of the other territories that we feel is within our rights.

So far, given the realities now,

because China is actually pushing the envelope,

but within the bounds of what is acceptable

before that escalates into,

I'm talking about the water cannon attacks on our vessels.

What are the plans for that?

And how exactly can we,

what kind of help can we get from our allies like the United States?

Let's not speculate on what kind of help.

The bottom line really is,

while we are praying and hoping that it will never come to that,

but if it does,

for me and for many of our countrymen,

I think we can be assured of the fact that the United States

is not going to back down on their word.

And I'm quite comfortable with that one

because every single day that I am in Washington, D.C.,

and every meeting that I have,

it is a serious concern.

It is something that the United States,

I have never seen this type of attention

that is being given to this type of situation that we're in right now.

Not only manifested by all these visits coming from high officials,

but the fact that we are continuing to have conversations

on how we can avoid any real conflict,

but at the same time,

being firm with our commitments for the Mutual Defense Treaty.

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