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Bersamin: Call for 'Taiwan invasion' preps no cause for alarm

Philippine News Agency

By Darryl John Esguerra
April 3, 2025, 2:25 pm

MANILA -- Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin on Thursday downplayed concerns over recent remarks made by Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Chief of Staff, Gen. Romeo Brawner, who urged Filipino soldiers to be prepared for a potential invasion of Taiwan.

Bersamin, in a media interview in Malacañang Thursday, explained that the call for preparedness should not cause alarm, as discussions surrounding the possibility of a Taiwan invasion have been ongoing for some time and was just part of the government's efforts to ensure that the country is ready for any eventuality.

"This is just part of the preparedness, that we, as a country, should be put into," he told Palace reporters.

The Executive Secretary noted that while the Philippines has been preparing for the possibility of an invasion, it is not certain whether such an event would occur.

"We're not saying when that invasion will take place, whether it will take place at all. Ang importante sa atin, hindi tayo natutulog sa pansitan (What is important for us is that we will not be caught off guard)," he said.

Bersamin further clarified that the government's preparations focus primarily on the safety and evacuation of Filipinos in Taiwan in case of a full-scale invasion.

"There will be only one response, which is to give priority to the repatriation of our over 200,000 kababayans (compatriots)," he said.

He also assured the public that the Philippines is not preparing for war, "unless they involve us."

When asked about the level of preparedness, Bersamin noted that the country has the necessary assets for evacuation efforts, including air and sea assets.

China sees Taiwan as its breakaway province, and has threatened to annex the self-ruled island, by force if necessary.

Tension in the region sparked anew as China sent its army, navy, air, and rocket forces to surround Taiwan for exercises described by Beijing as practice for "precision strikes" and a blockade of the island.

Focused on preps

Brawner made the remarks during the anniversary of the Northern Luzon Command, the unified command in charge of the country's northern parts, including the northernmost province of Batanes, which is approximately only 190 km. from Taiwan.

In a statement, the AFP said Brawner's guidance was "not a response to an imminent threat nor a declaration of heightened alert, but rather a prudent measure to ensure readiness for potential scenarios."

It added that the military chief's pronouncement "emphasized Non-combatant Evacuation Operations (NEO) preparedness, given the significant presence of approximately 250,000 overseas Filipino workers in Taiwan, ensuring their safety should the situation escalate." (With Priam Nepomuceno/PNA)