Stronger PHL-Italy ties pushed

MANILA and Rome should prioritize improving their maritime ties following the renewal of their bilateral defense cooperation agreement, analysts said.

Both countries must prioritize strategies on information-sharing, humanitarian response, and the cultivation of naval capabilities, Josue Raphael J. Cortez, a diplomacy instructor at the De La Salle-College of St. Benilde’s School of Diplomacy and Governance, said.

“With Italy being the more advanced country in this partnership, it undoubtedly has more resources and capabilities which the Philippines may adapt and procure in the near future,” he said in a Facebook Messenger chat.

The Philippines last week signed a new bilateral defense agreement with Italy, which includes procurement, defense co-production, and logistics and technology collaboration.

“The signing of the renewed agreement between the Philippines and Italy on cooperation in the field of defense is a concrete step towards strengthening bilateral defense relations and advancing practical cooperation,” Foreign Affairs Secretary Maria Theresa P. Lazaro said in a statement posted on X (formerly Twitter).

She added that both countries reflected a shared commitment to long-term development of defense capabilities and greater interoperability.

According to Mr. Cortez, the agreement will significantly support the Philippines in achieving a self-reliant defense posture.

“Italians are known for being innately connected with both defense and its maritime heritage, there is a great possibility that they will be able to impart to us some of the strategies they would usually employ in addressing maritime-related security challenges,” he said.

Chester B. Cabalza, founding president of Manila-based think tank International Development and Security Cooperation, said that Italy’s pivot towards Southeast Asia may be a strategic move to avoid the ongoing rivalry between China and the United States.

“Italy has strategic hubs in the Philippines, Indonesia, and Malaysia as Rome’s primary regional anchors,” he said in a Facebook chat.

He added that Rome may offer its leading multi-role fighters to Manila, with a potential delivery in the succeeding years.

“There were discussions on new generation offshore patrol vessels and specialized shipbuilding for territorial defense,” he added.

Manila has been increasingly active in forging defense agreement with foreign countries to push back against China’s coercive behavior in the South China Sea. The vital waterway handles an estimated $3 trillion in annual trade and is considered a flashpoint for regional conflict.

Beijing continues to assert sovereignty over nearly the entire South China Sea, defying a 2016 ruling by the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague that invalidated its sweeping claims. — Adrian H. Halili