PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. renewed his support for a rules-based international order as China aggressively expanded its presence in the West Philippine Sea, deploying what Manila described as a floating “structure” inside the disputed Bajo de Masinloc (Scarborough Shoal).
Speaking before members of the diplomatic corps during the Vin d’Honneur reception at Malacañan Palace marking the 128th anniversary of Philippine Independence on Friday, the president said the country’s commitment to multilateralism and the principles of the United Nations Charter remained steadfast and unwavering.
“As we have always done, as a founding member of the United Nations, the Philippines will work with all nations in pursuing peace, stability, sustainable development, and a rules-based international order,” Marcos told the foreign diplomats.
“These, we will always uphold and advance in the global community,” he added.
Marcos said the Philippines drew the strength it needed for nation-building from deep and enduring friendships with other countries.
“My meetings with fellow leaders during my four years of administration provided an excellent opportunity to bolster our bilateral ties across many sectors, foster closer people-to-people relations, develop closer cooperation on new and emerging issues of mutual concern, all in pursuit of shared peace, progress, and prosperity,” he said.
The president’s statement came days after the National Task Force-West Philippine Sea confirmed the presence of a square floating structure inside the lagoon of Bajo de Masinloc.
The task force said aerial and maritime surveillance operations confirmed the structure’s presence, along with several other unidentified objects, including buoys and antennas.
The Philippines, through the Department of Foreign Affairs, has lodged a diplomatic protest against China over what it described as a violation of Philippine sovereignty, sovereign rights and jurisdiction, and called for its removal.
In the same speech on Friday, Marcos pushed for stronger maritime cooperation among Southeast Asian nations, following the adoption of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) Leaders’ Declaration on Maritime Coordination during the regional bloc’s recent summit in Cebu.
“Amid profound global uncertainties and shifting geopolitical winds, our Asean community responded with unity, wisdom, resolve, and we continue to favor closer integration and cooperation amidst this increasingly fractured geostrategic environment,” Marcos said.
“We emphasized the importance of strengthening cooperation, particularly in the maritime sphere, with the adoption of Asean Maritime Leaders’ Declaration at the Summit, which reaffirms Asean’s collective commitment to advancing maritime cooperation and highlights the multidimensional nature of maritime issues,” he added.
The president said that he looked forward to welcoming fellow leaders and dialogue partners to the Asean Summit in November.
He also announced that the Philippines will host the commemorative activity marking the 50th anniversary of the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia on July 24.
The event will reaffirm Asean’s commitment to the principles of mutual respect, non-interference, peaceful settlement of disputes, renunciation of the threat or use of force, and effective cooperation, he added.
Marcos expressed gratitude to members of the diplomatic corps for their support and goodwill toward the Philippines during its, albeit unsuccessful, campaign for a non-permanent seat in the United Nations Security Council.
“We value your support, cooperation, and contribution to advancing our mutually beneficial cooperation with your respective countries and working with us to chart the path forward,” he said.
Meanwhile, Marcos also announced plans to expand the Philippines’ diplomatic presence by opening additional embassies and consulates in key regions around the world to foster deeper and enduring partnerships with the international community.
“As an integral part of widening our diplomatic footprint, I am very pleased to announce that this year we will open our new embassies in Astana, Kazakhstan, and Accra, Ghana,” Marcos said.
“We are also working on establishing our new consulate general in Miami, Florida,” he added.
The president said these new missions will provide vital and accessible consular services to protect Filipinos overseas.
“They will serve as a gateway to unlock fresh economic cooperation, cultural exchanges, and stronger political relations with our host countries,” he said.
The Vin d’Honneur is a traditional reception hosted by the president on New Year’s Day and Independence Day, bringing together government officials and members of the diplomatic community to celebrate national milestones and strengthen international ties.
Among the Vin d’Honneur attendees are first lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, Dean of the Diplomatic Corps and Apostolic Nuncio to the Philippines Charles Brown, Senate President Pro Tempore Sherwin Gatchalian, House Speaker Faustino Dy III, and Foreign Affairs Secretary Ma. Theresa Lazaro.
Anti-espionage program
Also over the weekend, the Armed Forces of the Philippines said the country’s anti-espionage program was being expanded to cover government departments outside the AFP and the Department of National Defense.
The military-led Insider Threat Program (ITP) is part of the government’s ongoing efforts to secure sensitive information against possible espionage.
“As we speak right now, the Insider Threat Program is working. It has now been escalated to other government agencies, not just AFP or Department of National Defense. We are in close coordination with the Philippine Coast Guard and other government agencies,” AFP spokesman for the West Philippine Sea, Navy Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad, said at the Saturday News Forum in Quezon City.
He said the government is expected to release more examples of “success stories” or cases already closed in the coming days.
The ITP became public knowledge after the National Security Council announced on March 4 the discovery and dismantling of an alleged espionage ring and foreign-directed malign activities linked to China.
“Based on the trend we see here, the first salvo we got were Chinese nationals. The next salvo were Filipinos,” Trinidad said in Filipino.
