National security experts call for safeguards against foreign authoritarian influence to strengthen democratic governance

On 28 November 2024, the Ateneo Policy Center of the Ateneo School of Government hosted a multi-stakeholder forum, where experts from the different facets of the national security sector convened with a unified agenda to tackle the alarming crisis on malign foreign influence and interference in the Philippines.

The forum underscored the findings of the paper “Strengthening Democratic Governance: Countering Malign Foreign Influence and Interference in the Philippines,” authored by RAdm Rommel Jude G Ong, AFP (Ret), MDM, Atty Neil Simon S Silva, Mr Jules Gerard V Arceo, MA, and Ms Karen Claire C Garcia. The paper unveils how foreign powers particularly the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) injects its influence in states like the Philippines to disrupt democratic spaces.

Taking off from the International Republican Institute’s field guide, Bolstering Democratic Resilience to PRC Foreign Authoritarian Influence, the paper dissects CCP’s foreign influence operations on the country’s electoral politics, sub-national government, legislature, political parties, and covert political influence.

A draft legislative framework establishing a Foreign Interference Act was also introduced as a proposed countermeasure to push for a more stringent policy that shall safeguard Philippine democracy and governance.

Finally, this initiative is a contribution to the movement towards having a national strategy on combating foreign authoritarian influence.

The activity was organized with the support of the International Republican Institute. The full paper will be released to the public soon.