The Philippines allowing the United States and Japan to help patrol the West Philippine Sea may help tame China's aggressive behavior in the disputed waters, maritime law expert Jay Batongbacal said.

Batongbacal was responding to a report that Speaker Martin Romualdez will ask to meet with members of the National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea regarding offers made by the two countries to jointly patrol the WPS with the Philippines.

"It's a good move to invite international counterparts to join us in protecting and upholding our rights in the contested waters because this is consistent with the country's position that the South China Sea, including the WPS, should remain open to all nations, based on UNCLOS (United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea)," Batongbacal said.

The University of the Philippines professor was among the guests on a show over government-owned PTV 4 which tackled China's harassment of Philippine government and private vessels in the WPS.

"It's obvious that China is fortifying its force, as it knows that the Philippines cannot insist on its rights because it is alone in fighting for its sovereignty. But if we are joined by other nations, then China would think twice," Batongbacal said in Filipino.

Col. Medel Aguilar, spokesman of the AFP, welcomed the idea of seeking the help of allied nations, particularly Japan, in patrolling the contested waters.

Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri agreed the Philippines would need the US and Japan if it is to stand up to China.

"We cannot match the People's Liberation Army Navy of China, but with help from our allies and friends in the region — the United States and now Japan, which is our strategic partner and ally as well, together with South Korea and Australia — at least China would know that they could not just harm us because somebody would help us," Zubiri said.

"And I think that's a big difference because if we did not have that multilateral alliance with other countries, I think they would have overrun us in many of our atolls and our shores," he added.

He continued: "They would have continued their expansionist plan of militarizing some of our many atolls and shores. We have proof that they were already reclaiming some areas."

Over the weekend, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida addressed both houses of Congress in a special joint session. In his speech, Kishida vowed to exert efforts to maintain a free and open Indo-Pacific region.

China claims the vast South China Sea, including the West Philippine Sea, which is within the 200-nautical mile exclusive economic zone of the Philippines.

From 9 to 20 November, Philippine, US, Japanese, and South Korean troops will conduct a series of joint training exercises called KAMANDAG 7 (Kaagapay Ng Mga Mandirigma Ng Dagat) throughout Luzon, including Batanes, Zamboanga, Tawi-Tawi and Palawan.

Around 950 Armed Forces of the Philippines personnel, 850 US Marines, troops of the Japanese Ground Self-Defense Force, and the Republic of Korea Marines will take part in the exercises.