Malacañang sought to soothe jitters over Philippine military preparations in anticipation of a conflict in Taiwan, even as the Manila Economic and Cultural Office (MECO) reported that it is still “business as usual” for the island’s population.
On Thursday, Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin told Palace reporters that discussions about the possible invasion of Taiwan by China are not new, and the Philippine government has for years been preparing for the evacuation of its citizens should a worst-case scenario materialize.
“There should not be any alarm on the part of the Filipinos,” he said.
“The Philippines has been preparing for the eventuality of an invasion. We’re not saying when that invasion will take place or whether it will take place at all, but what’s important is that we are not caught off guard,” he added.
Bersamin’s remarks followed statements from Armed Forces of the Philippines Chief of Staff Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr., who called for preparations ahead of possible regional instability.
The Executive Secretary clarified that Brawner’s comments were not meant to cause panic but to assure the public of the government’s readiness.
“This is a whole-of-nation, whole-of-government approach,” he said, adding that the top priority in any crisis would be the safe repatriation of more than 200,000 Filipinos in Taiwan.
Bersamin also addressed reports about potential U.S. military assistance, saying that while details are still being worked out, any support from Washington would be for defensive purposes.
“The Americans would give us the material for a defensive force, a defensive stance,” he said.
“But that is not for any specific target or state. It is for our defensive posture,” Bersamin added.
He acknowledged that former U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration had expressed commitment to strengthening Philippine defense capabilities, citing discussions between U.S. officials, including former Army officer Pete Hegseth, and Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr.
On the country’s level of preparedness, Bersamin assured that the Philippine government has the necessary assets for large-scale evacuations, including air and sea transport.
“We have every asset that is needed for that—maybe large evacuations requiring a confluence of air and water assets, including ships and planes,” he said.
He reiterated that Filipinos should not be alarmed by recent headlines suggesting an imminent conflict.
“We were surprised by how the reports were framed,” he said.
“Filipinos should not be worried because we have been working on preparedness for a long time. We are not going to war—unless, of course, we are involved,” he added.
Meanwhile, MECO chairperson and Resident Representative Cheloy Garafil ensured that a contingency plan is in place should China’s mock military blockade around the island turn into a full-scale invasion.
She said MECO appreciates Brawner’s directive for the Northern Luzon Command to assist Filipinos in Taiwan in case the need arises.
”However, there is no cause for alarm because everyone here in Taiwan is conducting business as usual. Filipinos here in Taiwan are used to reports of China’s presence around the territory,” Garafil pointed out.
”MECO and the Department of Migrant Workers-Migrant Workers Office (DMW-MWO) have a Contingency Plan in place, which is ready to be activated in any emergency situations,” she added.
Garafil assured that MECO maintains close coordination with Taiwan authorities regarding current security concerns.