Aussie think tank: Marcos among most influential leaders in SE Asia

MANILA – A renowned Australian independent research organization praised President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. for becoming one of the most interesting, influential and closely watched leaders in Southeast Asia since he took office in June 2022.

Dr. Michael Fullilove, the Executive Director of the Lowy Institute, stated on Monday that President Marcos’ speech to the Australian Parliament on February 29 underscored his significant position as a leader in the ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) region.

“If there’s anyone who thinks individuals don’t matter in politics, I’d invite them to look at the changes in the Philippines in the past 18 months, in particular the way that Manila has become so much more determined to defend its sovereignty,” Dr. Fullilove said at the State Library of Victoria in Melbourne, Australia.

At the Lowy Institute event, President Marcos received praise for his firm stance on the West Philippine Sea disputes.

“We shall never surrender even a square inch of our territory and our maritime jurisdiction,” President Marcos said, adding that the Philippine government is upgrading its capabilities to defend its sovereignty.

“In this regard, we are upgrading the capabilities of our Coast Guard and pursuing the modernization of our Armed Forces. And earlier this year, I approved the updated acquisition plan of the Armed Forces of the Philippines called Re-Horizon 3, in line with our Comprehensive Archipelagic Defense Concept,” the President added.

President Marcos emphasized the importance of ensuring that Filipino nationals, Philippine corporations, and those authorized by the Philippine Government can freely and peacefully explore and exploit all natural resources in areas where the country has jurisdiction.

These include the Philippines’ “exclusive economic zone, in accordance with international law,” President Marcos said.

“We are on the frontline of international efforts to preserve, defend, and uphold the rules-based international order — the same platform from which the postwar Asian economic miracles took off, and upon which the continued prosperity of countries like Australia relies,” the President said.

“We, in the Indo-Pacific, cannot ignore the existential impact of great power rivalries upon the survival of our peoples and our communities,” he added.