CLOSE ALLY | Biden reiterates ‘ironclad’ commitment with Philippines amid China’s bullying

October 26, 2023 , 03:29 PM

By Beatrice Puente

(October 26, 2023) – United States (US) President Joe Biden reaffirmed their commitment to defending the Philippines following the “dangerous and unlawful” actions recently done by China in the West Philippine Sea.

Biden, who held a joint press conference with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, criticized China for its continued aggression that recently triggered a collision near Ayungin Shoal.

“I want to be very clear: The United States’ defense commitment to the Philippines is ironclad,” said Biden. “Any attack on Filipino aircraft, vessels, or armed forces will invoke our Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT) with the Philippines.”

Signed in 1951, the MDT provides “a foundation for the close security cooperation” between the US and the Philippines in case another party carries out an armed attack against either of them.

But the invocation of the MDT, according to the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), must first be studied by Washington in Manila since it specifically provides that an “armed attack” should trigger the treaty.

“The incident that happened is aggressive and dangerous—it is a provocation on the side of China,” said DFA spokesperson Teresita Daza last Monday. “But at this point, whether it constitutes an armed attack that allows the invoking of the MDT is something that needs to be studied.”

An official of the National Security Council maintained that the MDT cannot be invoked yet because the recent collision does not constitute an armed attack.

Last Sunday, a vessel by the China Coast Guard (CCG) collided with the supply boat chartered by the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) during the latter’s regular rotation and resupply mission. It was only around 13.5 miles from BRP Sierra Madre when the CCG conducted its “provocative” move.

President Bongbong Marcos Jr., who maintains a “friend-to-all” approach in foreign policy, ordered a probe into the latest harassment done by China within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone. According to the Presidential Communications Office, the matter “is being taken seriously” by Marcos.

So far, the Philippines lodged another diplomatic protest and summoned China’s ambassador.

Several countries also expressed their support for the Philippines in light of the incident.

In a joint statement by Biden and Abanese, they doubled down on the importance of “global and regional peace and stability,” opposing the “destabilizing actions in the South China Sea.”

“We emphasize the importance of all states being able to exercise rights and freedoms in a manner consistent with international law as reflected in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea,” read the joint statement.

China asserts jurisdiction over almost the entire South China Sea, rejecting the claims of the Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia, Taiwan, and Vietnam. It also disregarded the 2016 landmark arbitral ruling that the Philippines won.

“We are concerned about China’s excessive maritime claims that are inconsistent with international law, as well as unilateral actions that may raise tensions and increase the risk of miscalculation in the region,” it added.

(PM)

Privacy Statement

Our Privacy Commitment

TV5 Network Inc. values and respects your privacy. We are committed to safeguarding your personal data in compliance with Republic Act No. 10173 or the Data Privacy Act of 2012 and its implementing rules and regulations.

We have developed a Privacy Policy that adopts and observes appropriate standards for personal data protection. While our Privacy Policy sets out the general principles governing the collection, use, and disclosure of our users’ personal information, our Privacy Commitment seeks to inform you more about TV5’s privacy practices.

Why do we collect your personal information (as applicable)?

We may collect and maintain basic information about you as site user of TV5 sites for the following purposes:

To deliver news and updates on current events, sports, esports and entertainment;
To share livestreams of news and sports events;
To understand our viewers’ needs and preferences;
To meet legal and regulatory requirements; and
To perform other processes or disclosures that are required to comply with pertinent laws, rules, or regulations.

Where do we get your personal information?

There are several ways we collect your personal information.

Information that you personally provided.

Most of the personal information we have are those that you have provided us when you:
- Register to our programs or services;
- Inquired, filed a complaint or requested for our services;
- Took part in our research and surveys; and/or
- Became our Partner, Vendor, Contractor or Supplier.

Information we collect during your engagement with us

We also collect information as you use our products and services, like:
- Viewing our websites;
- Activities that are being tracked by our website cookies;
- Calling our hotline;
- Using our apps, websites, and self-service channels and portals; and/or
- Joining our promos, prize raffles, or rewards and loyalty programs.

Information we collect from other sources

Other means of collection of information may be through:
- Our market research initiatives;
- When you visit and use our websites and mobile application; and
- Subsidiaries, affiliates, and third-party business partners to whom you have given consent to share your information to us.

When do we disclose personal information?

There may be instances when we are required to share the information you provided us. In such cases, we ensure that your personal information will be disclosed on a confidential manner, through secure channels and in compliance with the Data Privacy Act and other privacy laws.

We will never share, rent, or sell your personal information to third parties outside of TV5 except in special cases where you have given consent, and in cases described in our privacy policy.

In some instances, we may be required to disclose your personal information to our agents, subsidiaries, affiliates, business partners and other third-party agencies and service providers as part of our regular business operations and for the provision of our programs and services. This means we might share your information with our service providers, contractors, and professional advisers who help us provide our services.

How we protect your personal information

The integrity, confidentiality, and security of your information is important to us. We have implemented technical, organizational, and physical security measures that are designed to protect your information from unauthorized or fraudulent access, alteration, disclosure, misuse, and other unlawful activities.

We also put in effect the following safeguards:

We keep and protect your information using a secured server behind a firewall, encryption and security controls;
We keep your information only for as long as it is necessary for us to (a) provide the products and services that you avail from us, (b) for our legitimate business purposes, (c) to comply with pertinent laws, and (d) for special cases that will require the exercise or defense of legal claims;
We limit the access to your information only to qualified and authorized personnel who are trained to handle your information with strict confidentiality;
We undergo regular audits and rigorous testing of our infrastructure’s security protocols to ensure your data is always protected;
We promptly notify you and the National Privacy Commission when sensitive personal information that may, under the circumstances, be used to enable identity fraud are reasonably believed to have been acquired by an unauthorized person; and
We let you update your information securely to keep our records accurate.

TV5 will not collect, use, or disclose your personal information for any purpose other than the purpose that you may have given your consent for.

What are your choices?

We make sure that we have your consent to continue to collect, use, and disclose your personal information for the purposes that we have identified. We want you to know that you may object or withdraw your consent and/or edit your consent preferences at any time.

If you wish to have access to the personal information in our custody or if you think that the personal information you provided is incomplete, or otherwise inaccurate, you may get in touch with our Data Protection Officer through the contact details provided below. In some instances, we may request for supporting documents or proof before we effect requested changes.

Data Protection Officer
TV5 Network Inc.
Reliance corner Sheridan Streets
Mandaluyong City
tv5dataprivacy@tv5.com.ph

What happens when there are changes in our Policy?

From time to time, we may update our privacy policy and practices to comply with changes in applicable laws and regulatory requirements, adapt to new technologies and protocols, and align with the best practices of the industry.

You will be provided notices if the changes are significant and, if we are required by law, we will obtain your updated consent.