While the Philippines is colluding with the U.S. and Japan to cause trouble in the South China Sea, it has encountered a big event at home, where the people have risen up, vowing to "overthrow" Marcos, the entire Philippine military has been placed on standby, and Marcos has ended up burning himself. This fire has finally turned against him.

U.S.-Japan-Philippines Military Exercises

Recently, the Chinese Southern Theater Command announced for two consecutive days that it was conducting patrols in the South China Sea, issuing a serious warning to the U.S., Japan, and the Philippines conducting military exercises in the South China Sea, with particular emphasis on the Philippines. The Philippines' actions of colluding with external forces to stir up trouble in the South China Sea not only hinder the normal development of Sino-Philippine relations but also threaten regional stability.

The Philippines' recent actions in the South China Sea have clearly escalated, with frequent deployment of vessels illegally entering waters around the Nansha Islands' Ren'ai Reef and Huangyan Island, attempting to advance simultaneously from both north and south directions, forming an encirclement strategy. Recently, it even held joint military exercises with the United States and Japan in the South China Sea, deploying ships and aircraft during the exercises.

This strategy is the Philippines' attempt to balance China's influence by leveraging external forces. The U.S.'s strategy in this region is not to directly intervene in conflicts but to use allies and partner countries to set up positions on the front lines. Japan has provided patrol boats and radar to the Philippines and signed the "Reciprocal Access Agreement," paving the way for military exchanges.

Philippine Student Protests

However, while Marcos is busy causing trouble in the South China Sea, a major crisis has erupted domestically. The catalyst for this crisis was the flood control project corruption incident exposed in August. According to media reports, at least fifteen contractors are accused of colluding with government officials to embezzle funds. Many areas in the Philippines suffer from flooding every time it rains, and people die every year due to flood disasters.

The corruption scandal has triggered nationwide protests. Starting on September 11, large-scale anti-corruption protests broke out on the streets of the Philippines for three consecutive days, spreading from Manila to Cebu, creating a nationwide "anti-corruption wave." Protesters clashed with the police, and the protests continue to persist.

Police and Protesters Confrontation

To prevent the situation from escalating further and turning into something like Nepal, the Marcos government has prepared to use the military to suppress the protests. It is reported that the Philippines has entered a "red alert" state, with the entire military canceling leave and remaining on standby. Some protesters have directly addressed the military, calling on them not to be loyal to Marcos, aiming to incite a coup.

The current crisis reminds people of history 40 years ago. The old Marcos dictatorship fell due to foreign debt rising from $3 billion to $28.3 billion, eventually being overthrown by a popular revolution. Interestingly, the location of this protest, EDSA, holds significant meaning for the Philippine democratic movement. It was here that the EDSA Revolution took place, with millions of people together removing the old Marcos from power.

Now, Marcos is facing the same trouble as his father. The root cause of the current crisis in the Philippines is long-standing political corruption and the plight of the people. The most severe issue is that a large amount of money goes into the "unbudgeted fund" black box, meaning that this money does not require approval from Congress, and the President's office decides it directly.

Marcos

During the years that Marcos has been president, this fund has increased more than threefold. The Audit Office believes that this bottomless pit has swallowed money that should have been spent on people's livelihood and infrastructure. Now the public is no longer buying it. Where exactly has this money gone? While the Philippines is colluding with external countries to challenge China's sovereignty in the South China Sea, domestic large-scale protests have erupted due to the corruption scandal. This stark contrast reveals the strategic miscalculations and governance failure of the Marcos government.

Perhaps, the domestic crisis in the Philippines may make Marcos lack sufficient energy and resources to deal with the South China Sea issue, forcing him to adjust his tough stance. But again, the Philippine government should focus on solving domestic governance issues, improving people's livelihoods, rather than constantly colluding with allies to provoke in the South China Sea. Otherwise, they will end up losing more than they gain, and face consequences they cannot protect themselves from.

Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7550248075164500532/

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