‘West Philippine Sea not a figment of imagination; it is ours’

MANILA, Philippines — The country will relentlessly defend its rights and interests in the West Philippines Sea for generations to come, an emotional President Marcos declared yesterday in his third State of the Nation Address, drawing the strongest applause and a standing ovation.

“In the face of challenges to our territorial sovereignty, we will assert our rights and interests in the same fair and pacific way that we have always done. Proper diplomatic channels and mechanisms under the rules-based international order remain the only acceptable means of settling disputes,” Marcos said toward the end of his speech at the Batasang Pambansa.

He stressed that the country would continue to assert its rights and interests through proper diplomatic channels and based on international laws.

He maintained that the West Philippine Sea was not a figment of imagination: “Ang West Philippine Sea ay hindi isang kathang-isip natin lamang. Ito ay atin. At ito ay mananatiling atin, hangga’t nag-aalab ang diwa ng ating mahal na bansang Pilipinas (The West Philippine Sea is not just based on our imagination. It is ours. And it will remain ours, as long as the spirit of our beloved country the Philippines burns).”

“We will strengthen and raise the awareness and knowledge of the entire country, and we will ensure that we can pass it on to our youth and our next generations,” Marcos said.

He said proposed laws on the maritime zones and archipelagic sea lanes would ensure that “this intergenerational mandate will firmly take root in the hearts and minds of our people.”

Marcos also thanked the Armed Forces, the Coast Guard and the Filipino fishermen for their “vigilance and sacrifice.”

The Chief Executive’s remarks came a day after the Department of Foreign Affairs said the Philippines and China have agreed on an “arrangement” for resupplying Filipino troops stationed on BRP Sierra Madre, a rusting Navy vessel that serves as the country’s outpost in Ayungin Shoal.

“We continuously try to find ways to de-escalate tensions in contested areas with our counterparts, without compromising our position and our principles. I know that our neighbors too are doing their very best to make this work,” Marcos said.

“The Philippines cannot yield. The Philippines cannot waver,” he said.

While the Philippines espouses peaceful resolution of maritime dispute, Marcos said it will persist in strengthening aerial and maritime domain awareness as well as its defense capabilities, including through partnerships with like-minded states.

He said peace and community-building would “always be our clarion call,” especially when the country hosts the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit in 2026.

In a tweet after Marcos’ SONA, Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) Commodore Jay Tarriela thanked the President for “supporting our transparency efforts in ensuring that our youth will have an awakened sense of patriotism, enabling them to carry on our fight in the West Philippine Sea because Filipinos never yield. We will not yield.”

DFA: No agreement with China

Earlier yesterday, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) belied China’s “inaccurate” statement that Manila had agreed to its conditions for guaranteeing uninterrupted resupply mission to BRP Sierra Madre in Ayungin (Second Thomas) Shoal.

In a statement, DFA spokesperson Teresita Daza said the Philippines in fact had rejected China’s three conditions for letting resupply missions go unmolested – advance notification, on-site inspection, no construction materials – under a supposed agreement forged over the weekend.

“For the Philippines, this means that we will continue to assert our rights and jurisdiction in our maritime zones as entitled under UNCLOS, including in Ayungin Shoal which is within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone (EEZ) and continental shelf,” Daza said.

The Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson said on Sunday that China would only allow resupply mission “if the Philippines informs China in advance and after on-site verification is conducted.”

The foreign ministry also said “China will monitor the entire resupply process.”

But Daza called the foreign ministry’s statement “absurd, nonsense and unacceptable.” The agreement, she pointed out, was “done in good faith” and was based on respect for each other’s positions.

“The principles and approaches laid out in the agreement were reached through a series of careful and meticulous consultations between both sides that paved the way for a convergence of ideas without compromising national positions,” she said.

“The spokesperson’s statement therefore regarding prior notification and on-site confirmation is inaccurate,” the DFA official said.

“Nonetheless, in our desire to de-escalate the situation in the South China Sea and to manage differences in a peaceful manner, we emphasize that the agreement was done in good faith and the Philippines remains ready to implement it. We urge China to do the same,” Daza said.

An agreement to de-escalate tensions came after a series of consultations following frank and constructive discussions between the two countries during the 9th Bilateral Consultation Mechanism on the South China Sea in Manila on July 2. — Ghio Ong, Marc Jayson Cayabyab