HENRY Kissinger's poignant observation, 'It may be dangerous to be America's enemy, but to be America's friend is fatal,' resonates profoundly in the context of the Philippines. This Southeast Asian nation, with its strategic location and complex history of American colonization and intervention, finds itself in the crosshairs of the geopolitical rivalry at this time, not just between the United States and China but now involving Russia in view of President Vladimir Putin's recent remarks in his June 28 meeting with the permanent Russian Federation's Security Council members, highlighting that the US is now not only producing ground-based intermediate- and shorter-range missiles but also using them in Europe, Denmark, and reportedly, the Philippines. Hence, the recent developments involving the US deployment of the 120-ton Typhon missile system for testing in the Philippines exemplify the precarious position the country is in, serving as a proxy battleground for the US vying for the preservation of its hegemony and dominance in the Indo-Pacific region.

Indeed, the presence of US missiles in the Philippines is poised to reshape the strategic landscape dramatically, positioning the Philippines as a potential flash point in the China-US strategic rivalry and competition, and in US-Russia tensions. Russia perceives the deployment of the US missile system in the Philippines as a direct threat to its national security. This situation is deeply concerning and requires the Filipino public's urgent attention, as it poses a substantial threat to national and regional security. Immediate and serious consideration of this issue by the Filipino people is imperative.