On the eve of the anniversary of the Japanese Imperial Army’s attack on the Philippines during World War II, the horror of war still lingers in our national memory. The devastation of that era—cities reduced to rubble, countless lives lost, and generations scarred—remains a stark reminder of how militarism can consume nations.

Yet even as we commemorate the sacrifices of Filipinos who endured occupation, one wound remains unhealed: the plight of Filipino comfort women. To this day, the Japanese government has yet to issue a formal apology to the survivors, leaving their suffering unacknowledged and their dignity denied. This silence underscores a painful truth—that the human cost of war is often ignored in the calculations of power. 

It is against this backdrop of unresolved history that the world now faces another looming danger: the return of nuclear testing. The decision of the United States to resume underground detonations revives an old fear—the possibility of a new arms race.

If Washington proceeds, other nuclear powers will likely follow, discrediting decades of treaties and tempting threshold states to pursue their own arsenals. For the Philippines, this is not a distant concern. We are situated in the Asia-Pacific, where the main players—China, the US, and North Korea—possess nuclear weapons. Any escalation of tension will inevitably ripple across our shores, especially since we are bound by defense agreements and regional disputes that superpowers exploit to project their strength. 

The lesson of history is clear: small nations often bear the brunt of great power rivalries. Just as the Philippines became a battlefield during World War II, we risk becoming collateral damage in a nuclear contest we did not choose.

ASEAN has long upheld the principle of a zone of peace, freedom, and neutrality, enshrined in the Southeast Asia Nuclear Weapon-Free Zone Treaty (SEANWFZ).

But treaties alone cannot shield us if we continue to align ourselves with nuclear-armed states. Our defense ties with the United States and our ongoing conflict with China in the West Philippine Sea place us in a precarious position.

In the event of nuclear brinkmanship, the Philippines could easily become a target—or worse, a pawn sacrificed in the strategies of powerful nations.

This raises a critical question: is our government prepared to defend our position as a nuclear-free zone, or will we remain silent as history repeats itself?

The resumption of nuclear testing is not merely a technical matter of weapons development; it is a signal of shifting defense policies. If Beijing responds by flexing its own nuclear muscle, the competition in the region will only intensify.

And caught between giants, the Philippines risks being reduced to a silent spectator, its sovereignty overshadowed by the rumble of bombs beneath the earth. 

The challenge before us is clear. We must assert our sovereignty and our commitment to peace with more than words. Active diplomacy, firm resolve, and a clear message to both allies and rivals are essential. Otherwise, our declaration as a nuclear-free zone will remain hollow, a fragile promise drowned out by the noise of superpower rivalry.

In the end, the return to nuclear testing is not just America’s or China’s issue. It is a global concern—and for the Philippines, it is about safeguarding our future as a nation that believes in peace.

If we fail to act now, tomorrow may already be too late. 

# NuclearFreePhilippines # ComfortWomen# Militarism