In response to the escalating conflict on the West Philippine Sea and China`s rising aggression, the Philippines is planning to establish a coalition with other countries to help exercise their rights over the WPS. According to Director of the UP Institute of Maritime Affairs and Law of the Sea Professor Jay Batongbacal, the Philippines is opting to create a sub-ASEAN group with the objective of seeking allies to help exercise and protect their rights in the WPS by garnering the support of other ASEAN countries which will be proposed to in this year`s ASEAN Summit held in Laos next month. The idea of creating such a coalition is truly clever and with enough consistency, time and unity, this sub-ASEAN group could greatly help the Philippines in fighting for its rights against China`s aggression in the West Philippine Sea.