There will be articles describing how Trump lost the Philippines but it has become almost a Chinese vassal over the last decade under the influx of people, investment, rackets, criminal syndicates, etc. With a govt vulnerable to control by the highest bidder it is a challenge.
What 'lost' the Philippines were the same policies that offshored jobs and pollution to China. It was in evidence when the Chinese gobbled up the South China Sea. Unfortunately the West was too busy fending off the Ukraine to notice.
The Western advocates deal with the university educated, essentially Americanized intelligensia while the Chinese are much more in tune with the crime gangs, fixers and business people. That's a losing proposition.
But China's now on the back foot and the wheel will turn increasing the chance the Philippines will turn into a low level proxy battleground. That seems a given though to what extent is hard to predict. If there's a lesson here it is to stay out of great power quarrels.
