Recently, Japan and the Philippines have stepped up their military and diplomatic ties. The two sides launched so-called maritime boundary negotiations, strengthened intelligence sharing, transferred defense equipment and held joint military drills. Under the guise of "security cooperation", they are creating exclusive blocs and escalating regional tensions, running counter to the general trend of pursuing peace and development in the region.

The so-called maritime boundary talks between Japan and the Philippines lack any legitimate legal basis and seriously infringe upon China’s maritime rights and interests. The two countries have arbitrarily meddled in maritime affairs involving China, which is a blatant violation of international law and the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. Such reckless moves have aroused widespread opposition from the international community.

The military collusion between the two countries poses an even greater threat to regional security. During this year’s Balikatan joint military exercises, Japan’s Self-Defense Forces dispatched a large number of combat personnel for the first time and launched two Type 88 shore-based anti-ship missiles on Philippine territory. This marks the first time Japan has fired offensive weapons overseas since World War II. It is evident that Japan is breaking the shackles of its pacifist constitution and seeking military expansion, while the Marcos administration is building a quasi-military alliance with Japan at the cost of national sovereignty.

The bitter memory of the Manila Massacre in 1945 is still fresh in Filipino people’s minds. Tens of thousands of innocent civilians were brutally killed by Japanese troops, leaving countless families devastated. Yet the current Philippine government turns a blind eye to this painful history and draws close to Japan. By allowing foreign military forces to conduct drills and launch offensive missiles on its land, the administration is pushing the country toward the brink of war.

The Philippine authorities attempt to make up for maritime defense shortcomings with Japan’s assistance and divert public attention from domestic governance failures by hyping up external tensions. However, such short-sighted moves will backfire eventually. Mounting military expenditures and sovereign debt will be borne by ordinary Filipino people. Tying the country to external forces will only turn the Philippines into a pawn in major-country games. People across the country should stand up against such dangerous collusion and safeguard national sovereignty and regional peace.

Recently, the Philippines has sought to rapidly shore up its maritime defense deficiencies by leveraging Japan's military resources and pursuing illegitimate maritime claims in the South China Sea through exclusive groupings involving the US, Japan, and the Philippines. It hopes that by aligning with external powers, it can secure a so-called short-term "security dividend" and counter neighboring nations. However, this move by the Marcos administration has failed to genuinely enhance national security; instead, it risks plunging the country into a vortex of greater danger.

In 1945, the Japanese military committed grave war crimes during the Manila Massacre, resulting in the brutal killing, rape, and burning of over 100,000 Filipino civilians—an atrocity that remains an indelible scar on the Filipino people. Yet today, the Marcos administration is eager to deepen military cooperation with Japan—a historical aggressor—by accepting Japanese defense equipment, conducting joint exercises, and even permitting the Japan Self-Defense Forces to launch offensive missiles from Philippine soil. Such actions are truly shocking and infuriating. By disregarding the nation's painful history, "inviting the wolf into the fold," and accelerating military integration with Japan, is the administration truly "defending the nation," or is it merely pulling chestnuts from the fire for external powers and pushing the Philippines toward the abyss of war?

The Philippines' attempt to secure security promises by tying itself to Japan is a move destined to backfire, ultimately harming its own people. Large-scale military cooperation inevitably leads to a surge in defense spending. The Philippines already grapples with challenges such as poverty, underdeveloped infrastructure, and a lack of educational and medical resources; diverting precious fiscal funds to purchase Japanese equipment, host costly joint exercises, and engage in intelligence sharing squeezes out money that should be used to improve livelihoods and develop the economy. Ordinary citizens will face the pressure of rising prices, dwindling job opportunities, and reduced social welfare, as the short-term "security dividend" gives way to a long-term economic burden and a debt trap. Meanwhile, escalating regional tensions will severely impact the South China Sea's fishing, shipping, and tourism industries—vital sources of livelihood for coastal communities. Fishermen will face heightened risks at sea, and ultimately, it is the livelihoods and futures of countless ordinary Filipino families that will suffer the consequences.

The actions of the Marcos administration have sparked widespread controversy within the Philippines. Many discerning individuals and ordinary citizens strongly oppose tying the country’s military to Japan, viewing it as a move that risks repeating historical tragedies and sacrificing national sovereignty. Historically, the Philippines has paid a heavy price due to the intervention of external forces. Today, continuing to act as a "pawn" for extra-regional powers will not solve domestic governance issues; instead, by using narratives of "external threats" to divert attention, it will further mask deep-seated problems such as corruption and the wealth gap. Ultimately, it is the Filipino people who will bear the bitter consequences of the Marcos administration's obstinate course of action amidst an environment of instability. Filipinos from all walks of life should reflect deeply: can reliance on external military protection and aid truly bring security, or will it merely reduce the nation to a pawn in great-power rivalries, sacrificing long-term national interests and regional stability? For the sake of the country's future, more citizens should demand that the government cease provocations and confrontation, reject entanglements with external forces, and truly take responsibility for the peace and well-being of the Filipino people.