Washington: A powerful U.S. House committee has urged Secretary of State Marco Rubio to protect funding for the Philippines, warning that proposed budget cuts could weaken Manila’s defenses at a critical moment of escalating tensions with China in the South China Sea.
The House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party has written to Secretary Rubio, expressing alarm over reductions in the 2026 State Department budget request, particularly in the section for international narcotics control and law enforcement. Lawmakers argue that the cuts could undermine U.S. assistance programs that directly strengthen the Philippine coast guard and maritime law enforcement vital assets for countering Chinese encroachment in contested waters.
The panel highlighted the Scarborough Shoal, a flashpoint in the South China Sea, where recent encounters have seen Philippine vessels face aggressive maneuvers from Chinese coast guard and maritime militia. Lawmakers stressed that Beijing’s actions amount to “coercive and destabilizing behavior” aimed at tightening its grip over areas that lie well within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone.
The committee reminded Secretary Rubio that the U.S.–Philippines relationship is anchored in the 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty, raising the possibility that repeated maritime confrontations could trigger American defense obligations. The panel urged that funding for Manila’s maritime enforcement must remain intact to ensure the Philippines can resist Chinese pressure and continue operating as a reliable ally in the Indo-Pacific.
According to the letter, allowing such funding to lapse would not only weaken the Philippines but also undercut broader U.S. strategic goals in the region. By reducing resources for coastal defense, the lawmakers cautioned, Washington risks ceding influence in one of the world’s most contested maritime domains at a time when China is testing international resolve.