Philippine National Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro’s recent call for pro-China government officials to resign has reignited debate over the role of foreign influence in Philippine foreign policymaking. His frustration is loud and clear: officials who openly contradict the Philippines’ constitutional and legal position on the West Philippine Sea undermine national sovereignty.

Yet, Teodoro’s call should not be confined to China. It must be broadened to include those who are pro-United States, pro-Japan, or aligned with any other foreign power.

Government officials must indeed be pro-Filipino, nothing more, nothing less. Their loyalty is to the Republic and its people, not to Beijing, Washington, or Tokyo.

Singling out “China-friendly” voices, however, risks creating the impression that alignments with other foreign powers are acceptable. In reality, excessive dependence on any foreign power compromises our genuine independence. The measure of an official’s integrity should be whether their policies serve Filipino welfare, security, and prosperity.

Being pro-Filipino in foreign relations is not about hostility toward the world. On the contrary, Philippine officials must remain friendly to all nations. We should welcome cooperation in trade, investment, security, and cultural exchange. Friendliness, however, must never be confused with dependence and subservience. Our diplomacy should be open and pragmatic, avoiding confrontation while insisting on respect for sovereignty.

To be pro-Filipino in foreign relations, the Philippines must strongly embrace strategic autonomy. Strategic autonomy is the ability to make decisions based on national interest, free from undue external pressure and dominance. It does not mean isolation from the rest of the world. It means cultivating the capacity to engage with all partners, while retaining the freedom to say no when cooperation undermines national sovereignty.

Strategic autonomy also means being able to pursue economic opportunities with China, security cooperation with the United States, and technological partnerships with Japan, without being locked into the agenda of any one power. Strategic autonomy is the implementation of an independent Philippine foreign policy mandated by the 1987  Constitution.

Strategic autonomy requires discipline. Officials who disagree with the constitutional stance on the West Philippine Sea have a legitimate option: challenge it legally. What they cannot do is undermine it from within government.

Transparency and accountability demand that those who advance foreign positions at odds with Philippine law step aside. This standard must apply universally. Whether an official is pro-China, pro-US, or pro-Japan, if their advocacy contradicts Philippine sovereignty, resignation can be the honorable course.

The Philippines’ history teaches us the dangers of overreliance. Colonial legacies remind us that foreign powers often pursue their own interests first. Today, great-power rivalry in Asia threatens to entangle smaller states in conflicts not of their making. By insisting that officials be pro-Filipino, we safeguard against being used as pawns in larger geopolitical games.

At the same time, strategic autonomy allows us to pursue friendship, amity, and cooperation with all nations. We can welcome Chinese investments that respect our laws, American security assistance that strengthens our defense, and Japanese technology that enhances our development. We can deepen ties with neighbors in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and expand partnerships with Europe, the Middle East, Latin America, and Africa.

The key, therefore, is reciprocity and respect. Cooperation must serve mutual benefit, not unilateral advantage.

Teodoro’s call is timely, but it must be universalized. The Philippines cannot afford officials who are “pro-China,” “pro-US,” or “pro-Japan.” What the nation needs are leaders who are truly  pro-Filipino, leaders who can really defend Philippine sovereignty, uphold the Constitution, and engage the world with friendship and cooperation. Only then can Philippine foreign policy remain principled, balanced, and truly independent.

In a world of shifting alliances and intensifying geopolitical rivalries among great powers, the Philippines must chart its own course. By being pro-Filipino while remaining friendly to all in the conduct of foreign relations, we can defend our sovereignty, advance our development, pursue our national security and contribute to regional peace.

A genuine pro-Filipino foreign policy is independent, constructive, and pacifist. It is a foreign policy that faithfully reflects the aspirations and dignity of the Filipino people.

Rommel C. Banlaoi is the Director of the Philippines-China Studies Center at Diliman College and President of the Philippine Society for International Security Studies. He served as President of the Philippine Association for Chinese Studies.