Metro Manila, Philippines — The government has yet another voice among the number of those authorized to speak on issues relating to the West Philippine Sea.
Alexander Lopez, former Energy Undersecretary and ex-Armed Forces of the Philippines Western Command chief, is the spokesperson for the newly formed Malacañang-led National Maritime Council (NMC).
Executive Order (EO) 57 created the council to beef up maritime security and enhance marine domain awareness. It replaced the National Coast Watch Council, which developed policies and strategies for a cohesive and effective governance framework on maritime security and domain awareness.
Presidential Communications Office Secretary Cheloy Garafil told NewsWatch Plus via text message that Lopez will discuss the broader picture.
"He is the spokesperson of the NMC, which is focused on policy. The spokespersons of the other agencies will be focused on the operational aspect in their respective agencies," Garafil said.
The National Task Force on the West Philippine Sea, Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), National Security Council, Philippine Coast Guard, Department of National Defense, and the navy are among the agencies responsible for addressing issues related to the West Philippine Sea.
In his inaugural briefing on Tuesday, Lopez, alongside Presidential Assistant on Maritime Concerns Andres Centino, emphasized that his role is part of the administration's goal of one messaging on maritime issues.
Centino explained that an NMC spokesperson title came about after Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin’s press conference on the June 17 incident in the West Philippine Sea, where a navy personnel was injured.
Bersamin initially described the incident as a "misunderstanding" based on early assessments. The government later on called it a "deliberate act" by China.
"In line with the objective of ‘unified messaging on all matters of policy regarding the issues in the West Philippine Sea,’ it is only appropriate that a designated spokesperson will speak on behalf of the Maritime Council," Centino said.
Centino said a new spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea could address communication gaps.
"When the council was established about three months ago, there wasn’t a spokesperson for the council. We did have spokespersons from other agencies. Now, with the directive that the spokesperson will speak on matters of policy, I see the wisdom of the council’s guidance to have a designated spokesperson. This should also address any shortfalls in how we communicate the message to the public," he added.
Centino said Lopez will bring clarity on maritime matters as the NMC convenes various government agencies.
"The heads of different departments, who are members of the council, relay discussions to the spokesperson, who will then speak on their behalf," he said.
Experts weigh in on the new WPS spokesperson
Geopolitical analysts and foreign relations experts have offered varying perspectives on an additional spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea as tensions in the region escalate.
International relations expert Chester Cabalza said multiple spokespersons could "amplify" the government's messaging.
"Multiple spokespersons for a unified narrative in the WPS signal that a multitude of Filipinos can echo the government’s rules-based order message to the world," he said.
"This is a healthy model to channel the strategic communication of our side through the new agency, the NMC," he added.
On the other hand, Lucio Pitlo III, a research fellow at the Asia-Pacific Pathways to Progress Foundation, said the DFA should handle West Philippine Sea communications.
"The DFA is part of the NMC. Perhaps, it might be a good idea to let the DFA provide the spokesperson," Pitlo suggested.
University of the Philippines lecturer Aaron Jed Rabena noted that the effectiveness of the new spokesperson will depend on how well the role is managed.
"It remains to be seen whether we will witness overlapping responsibilities or better coordination in the speaking roles," Rabena said.