Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. delivered a veiled rebuke of China during his state of the nation speech on Monday, vowing that his government will defend a 2016 arbitration ruling that invalidated Beijing’s expansive claims in the South China Sea. According to the president, Filipinos “do not yield” to conquerors as territorial confrontations in the strategic waterway continue to rise.
South China Sea Stance and Maritime Disputes
During his address, Marcos did not mention China by name or elaborate on his criticism, though lawmakers applauded his remarks. According to the president, “of late, our very humanity has been called into question,” prompting him to remind detractors that “Filipinos are a noble … and a great race. We are not greedy. We are not racists. We are not liars.”
The speech followed a diplomatic summons in Manila last week, where Marcos summoned Chinese Ambassador Jing Quan. The summons came after China Daily, a state-owned media outlet, published an editorial video and AI-generated cartoons depicting Filipinos as monkeys. The animations focused on Beijing’s rejection of the 2016 arbitration ruling. According to the Philippine government, the images were strongly condemned as “racist and dehumanizing,” and officials demanded they be taken down.
In Beijing, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian responded last week by stating that the video “does not represent the official position and I have no comment on it.” Lin added that China views the arbitration as “a political farce disguised as a legal proceeding,” reiterating that the award is “illegal, null and void and has no binding force.”
Marcos countered that the ruling remains final, binding, and serves as a “definitive benchmark for the interpretation and application” of the 1982 U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea. The Philippines initiated the arbitration in 2013 following a standoff between Chinese and Philippine ships at a disputed shoal. China refused to participate and rejected the 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. Territorial confrontations in the waterway—a vital global trade route involving Malaysia, Brunei, Taiwan, Vietnam, China, and the Philippines—have grown more prevalent among forces and fishing fleets.
Domestic Corruption Charges Against Former House Speaker
Turning to domestic matters, Marcos disclosed that a special anti-graft prosecutor would soon file charges against former House of Representatives Speaker Martin Romualdez. The scandal was initially exposed by the president in his state of the nation speech last year. While Marcos did not identify Romualdez by name during the address, he made it clear that family ties would not shield his cousin and key political ally.
“This is painful to me, but we have to do the right thing,” Marcos said, adding, “I’m not a president for my family. I’m not a president for my friend.”
Romualdez, who resigned as House speaker last year but remains a member of Congress, maintained in a statement that he did not violate the law and is ready to prove it. Government and congressional investigations previously accused Romualdez, along with several House members and senators, of pocketing huge kickbacks from flood control projects. While other individuals have been charged and detained—including an incumbent senator, a former senator, a former public works secretary who served under Marcos, and various engineers and executives—Romualdez has not faced formal charges until now. According to Marcos, the government has recovered or frozen nearly 25 billion pesos ($410 million) in cash and properties from suspects, with some funds returned to the national treasury.
Energy Security and Nuclear Power Proposals
Addressing economic pressures, Marcos spoke at length about administration efforts to cushion ordinary Filipinos from fuel price hikes. To bolster energy security, the president suggested that the country reconsider nuclear power.
“Perhaps it is time for us to revisit nuclear energy production,” Marcos said without elaborating. “We will make sure it’s safe. We will also make sure that we can explain well to the public the good benefits of nuclear power.”
The Philippines previously constructed its first and only nuclear power plant in the 1970s in Bataan, a coastal province located roughly 120 kilometers (75 miles) northwest of Manila in an earthquake-prone region. That facility was ultimately left idle due to widespread safety concerns and corruption.
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