President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has voiced apprehension that the next administration might discontinue the implementation of the 2016 Arbitral Award on the West Philippine Sea, describing the issue as almost existential for the Philippine Republic.
President's Statement on Policy Continuity
When asked if he fears that the policy of the Philippines could change after he leaves office, Marcos answered affirmatively. “Well, of course, it’s a very important issue for the Philippines, if you’re asking me if I’m worried that the policy of the Philippines will change after I leave office, of course I am. Because it’s almost, not quite, but it’s almost an existential issue for us. Because maybe not existential for ordinary Filipinos, but for the state of the Philippines, the Philippine Republic. So we really have to be consistent in that,” he said.
International Support Validates Philippine Position
According to Marcos, the support from Canada and other countries for the arbitral award confirms that the Philippines' stance is rooted in international law, defense of territorial integrity, and exercise of sovereign rights. He emphasized that few issues surpass the importance of the West Philippine Sea matter for the Republic.
“And I think the rightness in our positioning, in terms of the way we position the Philippines in our foreign policy, vis-à-vis the arbitral agreement, arbitral award is validated by countries like Canada who support it and see it as simply an enforcement of international law and the defense of our territorial integrity and the exercise of our sovereign rights within our sovereign territory. So it is a very enormous, there are no issues before any president that are greater than that. Some are equally important, but that is as important as anything else that we are having to deal with,” Marcos added.
Consistency as a Key Principle
The President underscored the need for the Philippines to maintain a consistent position on the 2016 Arbitral Award, warning that any shift could undermine the country's gains in asserting its rights in the disputed waters. He highlighted that the award is not merely a policy but a fundamental component of the nation's foreign policy and territorial defense.
