Marcos vows PH won’t yield ‘even to the strongest foreign powers’

Metro Manila, Philippines - President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Friday vowed that the Philippines will not back down from defending its territory and sovereign rights amid growing tensions in the West Philippine Sea, where China continues to assert sweeping claims despite a 2016 international ruling in favor of the Philippines.

In a fiery speech during the miting de avance of the Alyansa Para sa Bagong Pilipinas in Mandaluyong City, Marcos emphasized the government’s resolve to protect the country’s territorial integrity regardless of the size or strength of any foreign force.

“At kung pag-uusapan naman natin ang ibang bagay hindi lamang tungkol dito sa ating kababayan, kung hindi ang seguridad ng ating bansa. Kung pag-uusapan natin ang pagtatanggol sa ating karapatan, hayaan ninyong sabihin ko ito nang buong-buo: Kailanman, hindi tayo uurong sa pagtatanggol sa teritoryo ng Pilipinas,” Marcos declared.

[Translation: And if we’re going to talk about other things beyond our fellow citizens, like the security of our nation, let me say this clearly: We will never back down from defending the territory of the Philippines.]

The President insisted that only Filipinos should benefit from Philippine territory and that national sovereignty must be asserted and preserved.

“Bilang isang malayang bansa, dapat nating panindigan ang ating mga karapatan dahil…Maliwanag na maliwanag na ang Pilipino lamang ang dapat na makinabang sa teritoryo ng Pilipinas at ‘yan po ay ipaglalaban po natin,” he said.

[Translation: As a free nation, we must stand firm in asserting our rights because it is crystal clear that only Filipinos should benefit from Philippine territory—and we will fight for that.]

While stressing that the Philippines is not seeking conflict, Marcos said it is the duty of all public officials to uphold the Constitution and defend the nation’s sovereignty.

“Hindi po tayo naghahanap – hindi naman po tayo naghahanap ng gulo. Tayo naman ay sumumpa po tayo, kaming lahat na opisyal na ipagtatanggol namin ang konstitusyon ng Pilipinas. Ipagtatanggol namin ang teritoryo ng Pilipinas, ang soberanya ng Pilipinas, ang karapatan ng Pilipino. Kaya po, kahit ano pang mangyari, hindi po namin titigilan na ipagtanggol ang Pilipinas kahit na sinuman, napakalaking dayuhan, napakalakas ang puwersa. Hindi po. Ang Pinoy po hindi umaatras, hindi po tayo aatras,” Marcos said.

[Translation: We are not looking for trouble. But all of us officials swore an oath to defend the Constitution of the Philippines. We will defend the territory of the Philippines, its sovereignty, and the rights of the Filipino people. So no matter what happens, we will not stop defending the Philippines, even if it’s against powerful foreign forces. Filipinos do not back down. We will not retreat.”]

Marcos’ remarks come amid continuing maritime tensions between the Philippines and China over disputed areas in the South China Sea, parts of which Manila refers to as the West Philippine Sea.