Continuity And Change: The Evolution Of Philippine National Security Policy (original) (raw)
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This Fellow’s Paper analyzes President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr.’s call for a “paradigm shift” in the Philippines’ approaches to the South China Sea (SCS) conflict in 2024. A deconstruction of the substance and structure of his apparent policy discourse aims to contribute to a better understanding of its meaning, as well as implications for policy-making, at both domestic and strategic levels. This is especially so when the President’s well-publicized pronouncement of a “paradigm shift” is made as basis for policy determination In addressing the research questions of a discourse analysis, this Paper discusses the philosophy of “paradigm shift” from an academic perspective of policy research. It uses this as a fundamental frame of analyzing the internal logic and contextual setting of Marcos’ “paradigm shift” rhetoric to address the SCS dispute. It then presents the order of interests at stake and the intensity of issues at hand in the SCS. Lastly, the Paper argues that the long-standing policy paradigm of the Philippines—as a peace-loving ASEAN nation and a rules-based state—remains the order in resolving disputes and relating with other countries.
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