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Philippines seen as strong on sovereignty, weak on wider regional challenges based on survey

Article by J. Salazar

Published on May 21, 2026 9:00AM


MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines has gained visibility as a defender of sovereignty and security in Southeast Asia, particularly in the West Philippine Sea but remains far less associated with addressing regional and global problems, according to a foreign‑policy survey. This assessment comes from Dr. Alicor Panao, a political‑science and foreign‑policy expert, who analyzed findings from the 2025 Foreign Policy Community of Indonesia (FPCI) Survey on ASEAN Dialogue Partners. ¹ ² The survey polled 2,012 respondents across 11 ASEAN member‑states, including academics, officials, business leaders, civil‑society actors, and students, on how ASEAN countries “positively contribute to addressing the problems/conflicts across major regional and global issues.” ¹ ³


The Philippines performed strongest on the West Philippine Sea and South China Sea territorial tensions, where 17.39 percent of regional respondents rated it as one of the countries that positively contribute to resolving the disputes. ¹ ⁴ This is one of the highest shares among ASEAN members on that specific issue, underscoring how Manila’s legal and diplomatic stance against expansive Chinese maritime claims has translated into regional recognition of its role in upholding sovereignty and rules‑based order. ¹ ⁵


Observers note that the Philippines’ 2016 arbitration victory at the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague, which invalidated China’s expansive “nine‑dash line” claims, continues to shape perceptions of Manila as a key actor in maritime‑security debates. ⁵ ⁶ Recent incidents in the West Philippine Sea, including frequent confrontations between Philippine coast‑guard and Chinese maritime forces, have likewise kept the sovereignty issue at the top of regional agendas. ⁵ ⁶

Despite that strong showing on sovereignty and security, the same FPCI survey suggests that the Philippines is less often viewed as a leading contributor to solutions on other major regional and global issues, such as climate change, digital governance, and economic integration. ¹ ² Dr. Panao argues this reflects a “specialization” in Manila’s foreign‑policy brand, the country is seen as decisive on territorial disputes but less prominent in shaping cooperative responses to non‑traditional security threats. ¹ ⁴


Independent climate‑performance data reinforce this pattern. The Climate Change Performance Index 2025 shows the Philippines sliding from 7th to 19th place globally, categorized as a “medium” performer despite still being the highest‑ranked Southeast Asian country. ⁷ ⁸ ⁹ The survey findings highlight a strategic opportunity for the Philippines to broaden its foreign‑policy image beyond the West Philippine Sea and South China Sea. ¹ ⁴ For ASEAN itself, the data indicate that different member‑states are perceived as “go‑to” partners for different issues, the Philippines for maritime security, others for climate or technology governance. ¹ ² This fragmentation underscores the need for more coordinated leadership roles within the bloc, especially as Southeast Asia contends with overlapping pressures from great‑power competition, climate‑related disasters, and digital‑transformation demands. ¹⁰ ¹¹

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Notes:


² FPCI Survey 2025 https://fpcisurvey.org

³ ASEAN Perception Survey https://www.aseanperceptionssurvey.com

⁶ 43% of Pinoys want PH to align with US in SCS dispute —survey https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/topstories/nation/904927/pinoys-south-china-sea-us-survey/story/

⁹ Philippines – Climate Performance Ranking 2025 | Climate Change Performance Index https://ccpi.org/country/phl/

1 Comment

Flae Duech
Flae Duech
Jul 10

One notable takeaway is that the Philippines is increasingly being recognized not just as a claimant in the West Philippine Sea, but as a country that consistently advocates for international law and a rules-based maritime order.

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