TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Any Taiwan conflict would directly affect Philippine national security, former Vice Commander of the Philippine Army Leodevic B. Guinid has said.

Guinid said the Philippines is already formulating contingency plans for civilian evacuation if a Taiwan contingency broke out, Liberty Times reported. Manila has also taken into consideration the safety of Filipinos in China and nationals from other countries, such as the US and South Korea, he said.

Guinid said that northern Philippines could serve as a staging ground for military forces and as the nearest haven for civilian evacuation. However, he emphasized that the Philippines would require assistance from partners, including Taiwan, Japan, and the US, per Liberty Times. Such preparations cannot wait until a crisis occurs, he said, adding they must be coordinated beforehand.

The former army official expressed support for Taiwan’s efforts to boost civil defense. Beyond weapons and equipment, he said that the primary hallmark of defense readiness is the people’s determination to resist aggression, according to Liberty Times. He suggested that Taiwan should seek more opportunities to participate in international or multilateral exercises to benchmark its capabilities against other countries.

Last year, Taiwanese and Philippine government officials and advisers revealed that the Philippine Coast Guard conducted patrols with their Taiwanese counterparts in the Bashi Channel, according to the Washington Post. Taiwan also sent navy and marine corps personnel to observe the 2025 Kamandag joint exercise led by the US and Philippine marines, they said.

The Taiwanese officers participated in tabletop planning, according to a government adviser. “Our security and military cooperation with the Philippines is going to get closer and closer,” he said.