RSIS hosted Dr Rommel Banlaoi, former President of the Philippine Association for Chinese Studies (PACS) [2018 to 2022], for a seminar on 22 January 2024 focusing on the security strategies of the Marcos Jr. administration. Dr Banlaoi spoke on the administration’s main focuses: tackling local armed conflicts, crime reduction, disaster response, and protecting territorial sovereignty. A key highlight of the seminar was the discussion on the escalating tensions in the West Philippines Sea. His detailed explanation of Philippines-China relations provided fascinating insights into this critical regional issue, making it a hot topic among the audience. He also shed light on the National Action Plan on Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism (NAP-CVE), showing us the steps the government is taking to combat security threats and maintain peace.

A lively Q&A session took place where attendees, including researchers and visitors, discussed various topics like Philippines-US relations, the situation in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), and maritime economic interests. Dr Banlaoi provided insightful remarks on these issues, providing the audience with alternative perspectives to contemporary views, thereby highlighting the complexities of the critical security policies in the Philippines.