'We do not yield': Marcos vows to uphold 2016 arbitral ruling in SONA
MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Monday, July 27, vowed that the Philippines would continue to uphold the 2016 arbitral award, saying the government would use every peaceful and legal means available to defend the country's rights in the West Philippine Sea.
In his fifth State of the Nation Address (SONA), Marcos described the ruling as "final and binding," saying the Philippines would neither abandon nor retreat from the landmark decision.
"Your government will do all that is necessary to continue upholding this Award, utilizing every peaceful and legal means available to the Republic against any attempt, foreign or domestic, to undermine this achievement," Marcos said.
The president also honored members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, the Philippine Coast Guard and Filipino fisherfolk who continue to defend the country's waters despite the risks.
"We give honor to our Armed Forces, the Coast Guard, and even our fisherfolk, who all continue to patrol and ply our seas, though fraught with risks," Marcos said.
"To them we owe collective gratitude and appreciation for they give life to the letter and spirit of the Arbitral Award," he added.
He also spoke of what he described as threats to the country's dignity, saying Filipinos' humanity had recently been called into question.
Addressing the country's "friends and detractors," Marcos said Filipinos are "a noble, kind, gracious and great race."
"We are not greedy. We are not racists. We are not liars," he said, drawing prolonged applause from lawmakers.
"We are respectful, and we are dignified. We are Filipinos, and we do not yield," Marcos added.
Marcos' remarks came amid continuing tensions between Manila and Beijing over the West Philippine Sea.
Earlier this month, the Philippines marked the 10th anniversary of the 2016 Hague arbitral ruling with a joint statement signed by 13 countries, including the United States and Japan, reaffirming that the award is legally binding. China, which continues to reject the ruling, dismissed the statement as a "distortion of the facts."
The remarks also came as the Philippines protested AI-generated videos and editorial cartoons published by China's state-run China Daily depicting Filipinos as monkeys while criticizing the arbitral ruling. The Department of Foreign Affairs described the materials as "deeply offensive, distressing and unacceptable" and demanded their removal.
The 2016 ruling of the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague invalidated China's expansive claims over much of the South China Sea, including areas within the Philippines' exclusive economic zone. Beijing has consistently refused to recognize the decision. — with a report from Cristina Chi
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