President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. used his fifth State of the Nation Address (SONA) to reaffirm the Philippines’ commitment to protecting its sovereignty amid continuing tensions in the West Philippine Sea.
Marcos delivered the message as the country recently marked the 10th anniversary of its victory under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) in the West Philippine Sea dispute.
The President noted that despite the legal victory a decade ago, the Philippines has continued to face aggressive actions from China.
Among the incidents cited were the release of a racist “monkey” video by China Daily, the reported assault by members of the China Coast Guard against Philippine Navy personnel, and two consecutive days of water cannon attacks against personnel of the Philippine Coast Guard and the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources.
During his address, Marcos recognized the efforts of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, the Philippine Coast Guard, and Filipino fishermen who continue to safeguard the country’s maritime territory.
He said Filipinos have remained united and steadfast in the face of threats to the nation’s security.
“My fellow Filipinos, in the face of these threats to our security, both within and beyond our borders, we stood tall with pride and stood together,” Marcos said.
The President also emphasized that Filipinos would not be intimidated by insults or acts of aggression.
“In the face of insults, we will not be shaken. Against those who seek to oppress us, we will not submit,” he said.
Marcos’ remarks came as the Philippines continues to assert its sovereign rights in the West Philippine Sea while honoring the country’s landmark UNCLOS arbitration victory and recognizing the personnel tasked with defending the nation’s maritime interests.
