00:00In order for our armed forces to support activities in the South China Sea,
00:05the Philippines can rely on a task force formed by the United States, the U.S. Task Force Union.
00:13What will be their role in the missions of our Armed Forces of the Philippines?
00:18Let's find out in the discussion of Chino Gaston.
00:24The Union Shoal in the West Philippine Sea is controversial
00:27because the BRP Sierra Madre, the Philippine ship that serves as the outpost of the Philippine Navy,
00:34is docked here in the West Philippine Sea as part of its Exclusive Economic Zone.
00:40But because China is also docking it,
00:42the Philippines' resupply mission to the BRP Sierra Madre has experienced several times of violence.
00:48That's why before the pandemic,
00:50the U.S. Defense Secretary, Lloyd Austin, mentioned that the U.S. Task Force Union will have a meeting.
00:58In his post on social media, Austin said that during his visit to the Command and Control Fusion Center in Palawan,
01:04he talked and thanked the American soldiers of the U.S. Task Force Union.
01:10What is the U.S. Task Force Union and what is its role in the AFP's mission in the West Philippine Sea?
01:15In a statement, the U.S. Embassy said that the task force strengthened its coordination and interoperability
01:21to support the AFP in its activities in the South China Sea.
01:25According to it, it is in cooperation with the forces of the Philippines and America
01:30towards the creation of a free and open Indo-Pacific region.
01:33The Joint U.S. Military Adjudication Group did not give details
01:37on how many soldiers are deployed in the task force union.
01:41According to National Security Advisor Eduardo Año,
01:44the members of the task force union will not be included in the missions in the West Philippine Sea,
01:49but it will help in providing information whenever the AFP, Western Command, has a mission in the West Philippine Sea.
01:56ISR, Maritime Domain Awareness, they help in providing information about that.
02:07On actual direct participation, it is purely a Philippine operation.
02:13The West comes supported by the Philippine Coast Guard.
02:17In a statement, the Armed Forces of the Philippines said
02:20that the American soldiers in Palawan are providing technical assistance.
02:25It emphasized the ability of the Philippines in maritime domain awareness
02:29that is important in planning and implementing programs and activities
02:34to protect the interests of the country in the West Philippine Sea.
02:38Professor J. Batong-Bakal, a maritime law expert,
02:41was not surprised that America has such a task force in the Philippines.
02:45It's not surprising.
02:47These are operational details.
02:50There's no need to be so concerned about it
02:53as long as it contributes to the overall defense and security of the Philippines.
02:58For GMA Integrated News,
03:00I'm Chino Gaston for 24 Hours.
