‘Buy anti-sub warfare from Indonesia’

Indonesian President Joko Widodo has asked President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to support the Philippine Navy’s intended acquisition of an anti-submarine aircraft from his country.

During their bilateral meeting in Malacañang on Wednesday, Widodo advocated for better border security collaboration and delineated borders for the continental shelf.

“I seek your excellency’s support related to the purchase of a submarine warfare aircraft for the Philippine Navy from Indonesia,” Widodo told Marcos.

Widodo, however, did not disclose the model and cost of the aircraft Indonesia intends to sell to the Philippines.

As maritime tensions between China and the Philippines continue to flare up, the Armed Forces of the Philippines announced in 2023 that it would station an anti-submarine helicopter in the West Philippine Sea.

Two anti-submarine helicopters, one an AW159 Wildcat that can identify and take out submarines breaking into Philippine waters unlawfully, have been acquired by the AFP from the United Kingdom.

AFP officials say the Philippines intends to purchase four additional anti-submarine helicopters in the coming years.

Widodo also pushed for increased opportunities for state-owned and private businesses in his nation to support development projects in the Philippines.

Widodo said he and Marcos agreed “to expedite the revision of joint border patrol and crossing agreements and to strengthen their defense cooperation, including on military hardware.”

Phl, Indonesia should unite to tackle regional issues

Marcos, for his part, said the Philippines and Indonesia must remain united to tackle the current regional challenges, as both presidents gave an overview of their security accord.

“As immediate neighbors and fellow archipelagic states,” Marcos said. “The Philippines and Indonesia agree to continue our cooperation on political and security matters.”

He added: “As neighbors, we must remain united in addressing the many challenges that our region now faces.”

Marcos commended Widodo’s “visionary leadership” and “strong commitment” to promoting and enhancing the long-standing and close ties between the Philippines and Indonesia.

Widodo said the neighbors will also cooperate in strengthening their borders.

“In the field of politics and security, we have agreed to strengthen border cooperation,” he said, adding that he had conveyed the importance of accelerating the revisions of their border patrol agreement and strengthening defense cooperation.

Indonesia and the Philippines  — together with Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand — are founding members of ASEAN. With ten members, the bloc’s unity has been tested by the ongoing crisis in Myanmar, one of its members, as well as the problems with China in the South China Sea.

Widodo and Marcos acknowledged the significance of bolstering the unity of the Southeast Asian nations. He emphasized that the phrase “is not merely jargon, and for (the Association of Southeast Asian Nations) to continue to uphold the principles of international law, and become a positive force for peace, stability, and prosperity.”

In a joint press statement in Malacañang, Marcos said he and Widodo had an honest and productive talk regarding developments in the South China Sea and their adherence to the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea or UNCLOS.

“President Widodo and I had a fruitful and honest discussion on regional events of mutual interest, such as the developments in the South China Sea and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations cooperation and initiatives,” he said.

“As founding members of ASEAN and the Brunei Darussalam–Indonesia–Malaysia–Philippines East ASEAN Growth Area, the Philippines and Indonesia affirmed our insistence on UNCLOS,” Marcos said.

He added that the Philippines and Indonesia have decided to continue working together on political and security issues since they are close neighbors and fellow archipelagic states, citing the recently finished Joint Commission for Bilateral Cooperation, or JCBC, presided over by their respective foreign ministers.

“We agreed to strengthen border cooperation, which I conveyed the importance of encouraging the acceleration of the revision of the border patrol agreement, the border crossing agreement, and the settlement of the continental shelf boundary as well as strengthening defense cooperation, including defense equipment,” he said.

Widodo is on an official visit to Manila until 11 January. The Indonesian president has visited the factory of carrageenan supplier W Hydrocolloids Inc. and instant coffee manufacturer Kopiko Philippines Corp.

His next stops are expected to be Vietnam and Brunei.