Marcos affirmed PH sovereignty over WPS in Shangri-La speech -analysts

President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. delivered a strong statement during the Shangri-La  Dialogue in Singapore after reiterating the Philippines’ sovereignty over the West Philippine Sea, political analysts said on Saturday.

“At the start of his speech, sinet niya na yung tune na notion natin na the Philippines is an archipelagic state," said defense analyst Renato de Castro during a forum.

"Sa umpisa pa lang, yung  importansya ng being archipelagic state… of course, maganda rin minention niya dun yung the fact na ‘the [life-giving] waters of the West  Philippine Sea runs in the blood of every Filipino.’ So in a very  creative way, sinasabi niyang maritime nation ang [Pilipinas].”

(At the start of his speech, he already set the tune or the notion that the Philippines is an archipelagic state. So from the start, he mentioned the importance of being an archipelagic state. Of course, it’s  good that he mentioned that "the life-giving waters of the West  Philippine Sea runs in the blood of every Filipino." So in a very  creative way, he was implying that we are a maritime nation.)

In his Shangri-La Dialogue speech, Marcos on  Friday affirmed his administration’s commitment to protect the country’s territorial rights amid the maritime dispute with China.

He also emphasized the importance of the Philippines’  territorial claims in the West Philippine Sea: “We will never allow  anyone to detach it from the totality of the maritime domain that  renders our nation whole.”

“As President, I have sworn to this solemn commitment from the very first day that I took office. I do not intend to yield. Filipinos do not yield,” the chief executive added.

The President also pointed out that the country’s territorial claims were “derived not from imagination, but from international law,” citing the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, and the 2016 arbitral ruling.

With these statements, Marcos emphasized that the Philippines’ claims amid the maritime tensions with China were undebatable.

“Na-set niya po ang parameters ng ating posisyon sa Indo-Pacific, sa buong  international system. Na hindi na po ito up for debate. The reason is that Philippine territory, as an archipelagic state, our internal waters,  our exclusive economic zone, our territorial sea, are all founded and based and rooted on international laws,” said geopolitical analyst Don  McLain Gill.

(He set the parameters of our position in the  Indo-Pacific region and the whole international system. And this is  something that is not up for debate, because Philippine territory, as an archipelagic state, our internal waters, our exclusive economic zone, and our territorial sea, are all founded and based and rooted on  international laws.)

“The problem is not defining our area,  naka-define na po ‘yan (that has been defined). The problem is rooted in those countries that refuse to accept international law,” he added.

The 2016 arbitration ruling upheld the  Philippines' exclusive economic zone over China's claims in the disputed South China Sea under UNCLOS. But China has never recognized the decision.

Manila has filed 153 diplomatic protests against Beijing under the Marcos administration alone.

Tensions further escalated between the two countries following China’s latest policy to arrest foreign trespassers in the areas it claimed in the South China Sea starting June 15.

Middle power

Marcos also pointed to the Philippines' new role as an active member of the Indo-Pacific region.

“We should transcend geopolitics, find common ground, and work to strengthen global institutions,” he said. “This requires active  leadership on the part of middle powers, which have the capacity to  cross political and ideological lines, forge genuine consensus, and lead credible efforts towards decisive multilateral solutions.”

With this, political analysts suggested that the Philippines wanted the world to know of its contributions globally.

“He also emphasized this - that the Philippines is an active agent. In a way, sinasabi niya na hindi na tayo ‘small power’, although he never  mentioned it, ‘middle power’ na tayo. He gave the reasons bakit ‘middle power’ na tayo, he always emphasizes yung ASEAN centrality, our alliance with the United States, and he highlighted also the comprehensive archipelagic defense concept,” said Castro.

(He also emphasized this - that the Philippines is an active agent. In a way, he  was saying that we are no longer a "small power" nation, although he  never mentioned that, but we are now a "middle power." He gave the  reasons why, he always emphasizes ASEAN's centrality, and our alliance  with the United States, and he highlighted the comprehensive  archipelagic defense concept.)

“Dahil diyan meron po tayong  potential to play a larger role in stabilizing the region. Hindi lang po tayo reactionary, we are proactive in engaging…We have also become a catalyst for further cooperation,” said Gill.

(We already have the potential to play a larger role in stabilizing the region. We are no longer just reactionary, we are proactive in engaging…We have also  become a catalyst for further cooperation.) — DVM, GMA Integrated News