Reflecting on the cost of conflict and the value of peace

Every year, at dawn on April 25, Australians, New Zealanders and our friends from across the world come together. We remember the soldiers from the Australian and New Zealander Army Corps who landed at the beaches of Gallipoli on this date in 1915.

But we also remember those involved in the Second World War, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, countless peace operations and many more conflicts that continue to fracture the stability of our world.

It is a day when we remember those who have served and sacrificed for our country during conflict and crisis.

Over the years, the significance of ANZAC Day has grown from its origins at Gallipoli. We remember our people and our friends who stood alongside Australian forces to face these battles together.

We are proud to call the Philippines one of these friends.

Our countries share a consistent and enduring partnership that has only brought us closer as the decades pass. This partnership is one built on shared values, mutual respect and the true appreciation that cooperation is central to ensure peace and stability in our world. And it is through these tenets that our defence relationship is underpinned, at times tested, but always comes out stronger.

This year, we celebrate the 78th anniversary of the Australia-Philippines bilateral relationship. But our historic links began even earlier through our defence ties, rising in prominence during the Second World War when Australia actively supported Allied efforts in the liberation of the Philippines.

Australians fought and died in the Philippines from the time of the US surrender in May 1942 until the country’s final liberation in 1945. The Australian contribution began with escaped prisoners of war who fought with Philippine guerrilla units.

During the subsequent liberation operations in Leyte and Surigao Strait, units from across the Royal Australian Navy, the Royal Australian Air Force and the Australian Army all contributed critical capabilities. These included signals intelligence, support for amphibious landings, airfield engineering and aerial photo reconnaissance and mine laying aircraft.

Our combined operational experience has continued since, both in the Philippines and abroad. Contingents from the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Australian Defence Force (ADF) have served together in Korea, Vietnam, Cambodia, Timor Leste and Iraq.

Australia’s commitment to supporting the Philippines has remained steadfast throughout times of crisis. We have been there with our Filipino friends, shoulder to shoulder.

I am proud to say that Australia’s rapid response to Typhoon Yolanda in 2013 comprised life-saving operations to deliver emergency assistance to devastated areas, including medical and logistics support.

In 2017, when radical Islamists terrorized Marawi City, the ADF mobilized Operation AUGURY-PHILIPPINES to contribute to broader AFP operations. Supporting AFP ground forces, Australia delivered intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance assistance.

These experiences have put into practice our defense cooperation of over 30 years. We have trained together to develop our interoperability and collective capacity to respond to terrorism, maritime security threats and humanitarian disasters. Underpinning this cooperation are arrangements that formally recognize the strength of our relationship, such as our unique Status of Visiting Forces Agreement.

Today, we have reached a new level of engagement under our Enhanced Defence Cooperation Program. Our activities have adopted a new level of complexity and significance as we face emerging and increasingly concerning security challenges in a perpetually dynamic regional environment.

In the past 12 months alone, we have demonstrated this through multiple high-profile engagements. We conducted our largest bilateral defense activity ever through Indo-Pacific Endeavor 2023 and Exercise Alon. In November and April respectively, we held our first bilateral and multilateral Maritime Cooperative Activities. And we have had countless engagements and exchanges at all levels, from the Secretary of National Defense and Australia’s Deputy Prime Minister to our people on the ground, in the air and on the water.
Defense will remain a key pillar of the broader bilateral relationship, as we put into action the commitment by President Marcos and Prime Minister Albanese in 2023 to become Strategic Partners.

As we continue deepening our defense engagement, it is important to take the opportunity to reflect on the cost of conflict and the value of peace. Peace is not something we can afford to take for granted.

Remembering the importance of peace is not just important in our defense relationship. It must be a part of everything we do. From working together to face the challenges posed by climate change and natural disasters, to promoting economic security through increased trade and investment. Stability is essential to our region’s peace and security.

Today, on ANZAC Day, I call on us all to take a moment to remember those who have fought for peace and why we must continue to work together, across all pillars of our Strategic Partnership, to protect it.

We will remember them.

Lest we forget.

*      *      *

HK Yu is the Australian Ambassador to the Philippines. Follow her on X (formerly Twitter) @AusAmbPH.