SECURITY CONCERNS. A Chinese Coast Guard vessel repeated rams Philippine Coast Guard ship BRP Teresa Magbanua while in transit in Escoda Shoal in the West Philippine Sea on Aug. 31, 2024. Bukidnon 2nd District Rep. Jonathan Keith Flores on Tuesday (Oct. 15) said securing a non-permanent United Nations Security Council seat would empower the Philippines not only in protecting its national security interests but also in serving as a peacemaker in the Western Pacific region. (Photo courtesy of PCG)
MANILA – A lawmaker on Tuesday said securing a non-permanent seat in the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) would empower the Philippines not only in protecting its national security interests but also in serving as a peacemaker in the Western Pacific region.
Bukidnon 2nd District Rep. Jonathan Keith Flores issued the statement in support of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) campaign for a UNSC seat.
"Election of the Philippines to the UN Security Council will put our country in a strong position to advance our national security interests and serve as a peacemaker in the Western Pacific region," he said.
"That UN Security Council seat can make the Philippines push for restraint on actions that can disturb economic security in East Asia, including Taiwan, Japan, South Korea, Southeast Asia, and the Pacific Island nations and territories in the Western Pacific."
Flores stressed the significance of Taiwan's stability, which directly affects the personal security of Filipino migrants on the island.
“Taiwan is a close economic partner and cultural kin of the Philippines,” he said.
He condemned China's recent military drills near Taiwan, comparing them to the naval maneuvers and aggressive actions in the West Philippine Sea and the Philippines' exclusive economic zone (EEZ).
“These military drills near Taiwan are yet another bullying tactic by China and are not in accord with generally accepted principles of international law,” Flores said.
The Philippines has long advocated for diplomatic solutions to maritime disputes, and Flores believes that a seat on the UNSC would allow the country to actively promote peaceful resolutions to rising geopolitical tensions in the Western Pacific.
“These are strong bonds that can be preserved and protected through peaceful means within the family of nations,” he said.
Elections for the UNSC 2027-2028 term will take place in June 2026 in New York City.
The Philippines was previously elected as a non-permanent member of the UNSC in 1957, 1963, 1980-1981, and 2004-2005.
It has been 61 years since the Philippines joined the UN peacekeeping operations. Over 14,000 Filipino Blue Helmets have been deployed so far. (PNA)
