Philippines
Republic of the Philippines
Population
115.6M
GDP
$404.0B
Capital
Manila
Government
Unitary presidential constit...
At a Glance
Human Development
0.7
HDI (0-1)
Democracy
6.7
EIU (0-10)
Press Freedom
—
RSF score
Corruption
—
TI CPI (0-100)
Innovation
—
GII score
Happiness
—
WHR (0-10)
The Philippines is a founding member of the United Nations and ASEAN, with a vibrant democracy and deep historical ties to the United States. The country is at the frontline of the South China Sea dispute, having won a landmark arbitral ruling against China in 2016 under the Permanent Court of Arbitration -- a ruling China refuses to recognize.
Under President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., the Philippines has strengthened its security alliance with the United States, expanding access to military bases under the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA). This represents a shift from the previous Duterte administration's tilt toward China.
The Philippines has a large diaspora of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) whose remittances are a major economic driver, giving the country a stake in labor rights and migration policy globally.
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As the Philippines, be one of the most vocal champions of international law, particularly the 2016 arbitral ruling on the South China Sea. Build a coalition with Vietnam, Japan, Australia, and the US to uphold freedom of navigation and UNCLOS.
Leverage your founding membership in both the UN and ASEAN. Raise OFW and migrant worker rights as bread-and-butter issues. Align with the US on security but maintain ASEAN solidarity on regional matters.
On human rights, be prepared to face questions about the Duterte-era drug war -- the Marcos administration has been more diplomatic on this issue. Push disaster resilience and climate adaptation as priorities for vulnerable island nations.
Foreign Policy
The Philippines' foreign policy is anchored by the Mutual Defense Treaty with the United States, the oldest alliance in Asia. Under Marcos Jr., Manila has reinvigorated this alliance while deepening security ties with Japan, Australia, and India as a counterweight to Chinese assertiveness.
The 2016 South China Sea arbitral ruling is the cornerstone of Philippine maritime claims. The Philippines actively promotes the ruling in international forums and has built alliances with like-minded states to uphold the rules-based maritime order.