Sen. Risa Hontiveros reiterated her call for 'just and meaningful' reparations for Filipino comfort women and their families. Office of Sen. Risa Hontiveros.

MANILA — Senate Deputy Minority Leader Risa Hontiveros on Thursday says she backs the Philippines' Reciprocal Access Agreement (RAA) with Japan, seeing it as a boost to the country's bid to push back against China's aggression in the West Philippine Sea.

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While the agreement was signed in July, it needs to be ratified by the Senate before it comes into effect, as required by the 1987 Constitution.

"Ito po ay magandang timing sa patuloy na pagbubuo natin ng bigger coalition, which is always a better coalition, sa ating political at diplomatic na pagtindig para sa ating pambansang interes at laban sa anumang pambu-bully tulad ng ginagawa ng China sa atin," Hontiveros told the Kapihan sa Senado.

(This comes at a good time as we continue to build a bigger coalition, which is always a better coalition, in our political and diplomatic position for our national interest and against China's bullying)

However, she is also pushing for more efforts to recognize the plight of comfort women victimized by the Japanese occupation during World War II.

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She said she hopes Japan, through the RAA or some other parallel action would address the issue of comfort women, which she says is a continuing concern despite good relations between the two countries.

Japan has acknowledged and apologized for atrocities perpetrated by the military and government of the former Empire of Japan. It has also maintained that reparations to the victims were already made in 1951.

According to the website of the Japanese foreign ministry, the Japan-Philippines RAA is an agreement which establishes procedures for the cooperative activities that are conducted by forces of Japan and the Philippines.

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The agreement will facilitate the implementation of cooperative activities, such as joint exercises and disaster relief between Japan and the Philippines and improve interoperability between the forces of the two countries, it added.

National democratic activist organizations like Bagong Alyansang Makabayan have opposed the deal, saying in November 2023 that positioning Japanese troops and equipment in the Philippines to counter China "might actually do the opposite — justify even more military actions from China." 

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The Philippines has been ramping up its engagements with security partners, including Japan, in the face of tension with China over the West Philippine Sea.

Apart from the RAA, Manila is working on defense agreements with Paris and with Berlin.

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