Marking a decade since the international tribunal at The Hague invalidated expansive maritime claims in the South China Sea, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. delivered a firm message to joint lawmakers, asserting that the Philippines will stand its ground on national sovereignty.
Commemorating the 10th anniversary of the landmark 2016 Arbitral Award under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), Marcos declared the ruling as the definitive foundation of the nation’s maritime rights.
He committed to using every legal and diplomatic tool available to safeguard the award from any threat.
“Let me remind our friends and our detractors: Filipinos are a noble, kind, gracious, and great race,” Marcos said to widespread applause. “We are not greedy. We are not racists. We are not liars. We are respectful, and we are dignified. We are Filipinos, and we do not yield.”
The President honored the Armed Forces of the Philippines, the Philippine Coast Guard, and local fisherfolk operating in contested waters.
“To them we owe collective gratitude and appreciation for they give life to the letter and spirit of the Arbitral Award,” he added.
Addressing domestic peace initiatives, Marcos announced that the government is ready to conclude its 15-year peace settlement with the Cordillera Bodong Administration-Cordillera People’s Liberation Army (CBA-CPLA).
Additionally, agencies are coordinating to secure a peaceful and credible process as the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) prepares for its inaugural regular parliamentary elections under Republic Act No. 12317 and the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro.