MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines should deepen its engagement with BRICS as part of efforts to diversify its diplomatic and economic partnerships without treating participation in the grouping as alignment with China or any other major power, foreign policy experts said.
Enrico Gloria, an assistant professor of international relations at the University of the Philippines Diliman, said Manila should not restrict its foreign policy options to traditional partnerships.
Speaking at a forum organized by the Asian Century Philippines Strategic Studies Institute (ACPSSI), Gloria said greater engagement with BRICS could give the Philippines additional diplomatic and economic options while allowing it to maintain existing relationships.
He cautioned against viewing participation in one international grouping as automatically placing the Philippines on the opposite side of another.
BRICS, originally formed by Brazil, Russia, India and China and later joined by South Africa, has expanded to 11 full members. It serves as a forum for political, economic and diplomatic cooperation among major emerging and developing economies, with a stated goal of giving the Global South a greater voice in global governance.
While BRICS is not a military alliance directed against the United States, its push for a more multipolar international order has contributed to geopolitical friction with Washington, particularly because China and Russia are among its members.
Herman Tiu Laurel, ACPSSI president, urged Manila to develop a more diversified diplomatic portfolio as the global system becomes increasingly multipolar.
Laurel said BRICS could provide the Philippines additional avenues for trade, investment, development financing and financial cooperation.
He cited the New Development Bank as an alternative source of development financing, as well as BRICS efforts to expand trade using local currencies and develop cross-border payment mechanisms.
The Philippines attended the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi on Sept. 12 and 13 as Asean chair and a BRICS Outreach Country, but is not a BRICS member or partner country.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. used the summit to present Asean priorities on peace and security, economic prosperity and people empowerment.
Laurel noted that Indonesia is a full BRICS member while Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam have joined as partner countries.
Gloria said concerns over China’s influence should not necessarily lead the Philippines to avoid initiatives in which Beijing plays a significant role.
Philippine participation could give Manila an opportunity to engage China directly and take part in discussions on how international rules and institutions evolve.
Gloria said China’s promotion of concepts such as sovereign equality and broader participation in global governance could provide areas for engagement, allowing the Philippines to contribute its own perspectives.
He said the issue is not whether the Philippines must choose between existing alliances and emerging groupings such as BRICS, but how Manila can use engagement with different powers to expand its diplomatic and economic options while advancing its own national interests.
