Marcos tight-lipped on West Philippine Sea dispute in 2nd SONA

MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. in his State of the Nation Address (SONA) on Monday kept his lips sealed on the Philippines’ claim over the West Philippine Sea. 

However, Marcos maintains that the country’s independent foreign policy has been effective. 

“Our independent foreign policy—a friend to all and enemy of none—has proven effective. We formed strategic alliances with our traditional and newfound partners in the international community,” he said. 

This was not the first time Marcos kept mum on the disputed islands. 

In his previous SONA, Marcos guaranteed the country’s sovereignty, saying that he will “not preside over any process that will abandon even a square inch of the territory of the Republic of the Philippines to any foreign power.”

However, this year, the president gave minimal mention of the issues surrounding the West Philippine Sea.

China and the Philippines have been in a territorial standoff following China’s sweeping claims on the West Philippine Sea. 

China’s claims are based on the South China Sea’s “nine-dash line” that has been invalidated by a 2016 decision at the Permanent Court of Arbitration. China continues to reject this ruling.

Department of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Ma. Teresita Daza reported in February that the Philippines has filed a total of 77 protests against China, including ten under the Marcos administration. 

Early this month, the Armed Forces of the Philippines reported more than 50 Chinese vessels have swarmed the vicinity of Iroquois Reef and Sabina Shoal in the West Philippine Sea.

The AFP has also detected five Chinese Coast Guard and People's Liberation Army Navy vessels near Sabina Shoal. 

The Western Command of the AFP also this July said that the increased presence of Chinese fishing vessels and members of its coast guard signal “an alarming concern about China's intentions and actions within these disputed waters."

Marcos did not mention any of these in his second SONA. —Intern, Ingrid Alexandrea Delgado