President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. (Photo courtesy of the Office of the Press Secretary)
MANILA – President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has expressed intent to step up the Philippines’ ties with the Netherlands and Czechia (Czech Republic) by seeking closer cooperation in the defense sector, Malacañang said on Thursday.
This developed after Marcos on Wednesday (Brussels time) held a bilateral meeting with Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte and Czechia Prime Minister Petr Fiala on the sidelines of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations-European Union (Asean-EU) Commemorative Summit in Brussels, Belgium.
During Marcos’ meeting with Rutte, the two leaders agreed to bolster Manila and Amsterdam’s relations, particularly in defense and water management, Undersecretary Cheloy Garafil, officer-in-charge of the Office of the Press Secretary (OPS) said in a statement.
Rutte, Garafil said, invited Marcos to participate in two conferences on artificial intelligence and water management in the Netherlands in 2023.
This, as the Netherlands is set to gather foreign ministers, defense ministers and heads of state in a conference on the role of artificial intelligence in the military domain in February next year.
The Netherlands is also set to host another conference on water management and climate change adaptation in March 2023.
Marcos told Rutte that cybersecurity is crucial for the Philippines’ armed forces, particularly in protecting military networks against cyberattacks.
“The cybersecurity part of our military is growing everyday,” Marcos, as quoted by the OPS, said.
Defense technology transfer
Marcos also sought the assistance of the Czechia in the transfer of technology in the defense sector, in line with his administration's commitment to support the Armed Forces of the Philippines’ (AFP) modernization program.
“It’s something that has been very helpful to the program of modernization that we are undergoing for defense forces in the Philippines especially now that we are trying to strengthen the capabilities of our Coast Guard,” Marcos said during his bilateral meeting with Fiala.
Technology transfer, Marcos said, is vital in beefing up the AFP's defense production abilities.
“But what would be even more interesting is besides just the equipment, would be the transfer of technology from your country to mine so that you are able to produce [in our own country] some of the material[s] that [are] now being provided by other countries and perhaps used… Make the Philippines a center for all that, the logistics,” he said.
Responses to climate change
Marcos said the March 2023 conference on water management and climate change adaptation in the Netherlands would be “very useful” for the Philippines, one of the countries most affected by extreme climate events.
This, as he agreed with Rutte that the Philippines and the Netherlands are vulnerable to the impacts of rising sea levels and climate change.
“We are actually trying to decide whether or not to form a new agency just for water management. That seems to be right exactly within the area of concern of the Philippines, Marcos said. “I tell our locals, [the] local executives, every urban and large municipality in the Philippines has a water problem whether they know it or not."
Marcos earlier backed the creation of a government body that will manage water resources, saying the problem in the country's water supply needs the most urgent solution. (PNA)
