A congressman from Mindoro has urged the government to dramatically increase naval spending to counter Chinese aggression in disputed waters, warning that decades of underinvestment have left the country vulnerable to foreign threats.

Oriental Mindoro 1st District Rep. Arnan C. Panaligan delivered a privileged speech the other day to the House of Representatives calling sea power “an imperative for the nation’s security, development and survival” as the Philippine Navy marked its 127th anniversary last month.

“Our inability to establish dominance in our maritime areas because of the inadequacy of our naval capabilities has invited acts of aggression perpetrated by a foreign power against our forces in our own waters notably in the West Philippine Sea,” Panaligan told lawmakers during the congressional session.

The speech follows recent escalatory incidents in the disputed waters.

China’s navy has conducted “combat readiness patrols” near the disputed Scarborough Shoal as recently as last week, while flashpoints are becoming more frequent, including collisions between coastguard boats and other vessels, according to recent reports.

Panaligan, a lawyer by profession, cited 19th century naval strategist Alfred Thayer Mahan, saying: “When the sea not only borders, or surrounds, but also separates a country into two or more parts, control of the sea is not only desirable but vitally necessary.”

The congressman noted that the Philippines’ maritime areas span approximately 2.2 million square kilometers – more than seven times larger than the country’s 300,000 square kilometers of land area across 7,641 islands.

“We are indeed a maritime nation,” Panaligan said, adding that the exclusive economic zone contains rich marine resources and potential oil, gas and renewable energy sources that could address food and energy security needs.

The Philippine Navy has begun modernizing its aging fleet, commissioning the guided missile frigate BRP Miguel Malvar on May 20, 2025.

Panaligan praised the vessel as representing the transformation from “a World War II navy with a fleet of vintage ships” to “a 21st century navy.”

However, he warned that existing modernization programs remain insufficient.

The congressman noted that the Navy’s first two missile frigates, delivered five years ago, still lack some specified weapons systems including vertical launch systems.

“Much still needs to be done to upgrade our Philippine Navy into a truly modern and credible deterrent force that is capable of securing our maritime zones and denying to any foreign power access to our waters,” Panaligan said.

The lawmaker called on President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s administration to increase naval modernization funding in the 2026 budget, which will be submitted to Congress after the State of the Nation Address.

Higher spending would enable acquisition of additional frigates, submarines, shore-based missile systems and command facilities, while allowing the Navy to establish more bases in strategic locations, according to Panaligan.

“Building a modern and capable navy cannot be done overnight. But we have to act now with full speed in the light of the threats that we are currently facing in our maritime zones,” he said.

The congressman framed naval investment as essential for economic development, arguing that maritime control would allow full exploitation of marine and mineral resources.

“Investing in a naval build up is therefore investing not only in national security but in national economic development as well,” Panaligan concluded.

The congressman’s appeal comes as the Philippines has already begun increasing defense spending amid mounting tensions.

The country allocated P256.1 billion for defense in 2025, a 6.4% increase from 2024, with the Navy receiving P51 billion of that total.

The Philippines has also launched a $35 billion, decade-long military modernization plan called “Re-Horizon 3” to upgrade its armed forces capabilities.

However, defense experts note that modernization funding has historically fallen short of requirements, with the military modernization program receiving only P50 billion in 2024.

China claims 90% of the South China Sea as its sovereign territory using the so-called nine-dash line, but faces opposition from five Southeast Asian states and Taiwan.

A 2016 international arbitration ruling rejected China’s sweeping territorial assertions and affirmed Philippine rights in areas including Scarborough Shoal, though Beijing refuses to recognize the decision.

The tensions have also strengthened U.S.-Philippines defense ties, with both countries conducting joint military exercises and intelligence sharing as part of their mutual defense treaty obligations.