Marcos says respect for PH sovereignty 'non-negotiable'

President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. on Wednesday underscored that while the Philippines cooperates with neighboring countries, the respect for its sovereignty has always been non-negotiable. 

Marcos made the remark during the Manila Strategy Forum. 

“Like the United States, the Philippines is very much open to cooperating with its neighbors,” Marcos said in his speech. 

“We have many bilateral channels of communication and areas of cooperation. But in all of these, respect for our sovereignty, sovereign rights, and jurisdiction is, and has always been and will always be, non-negotiable,” he added. 

Marcos mentioned that ''the most significant threat to the peace and stability we strive for is right here in our own neighborhood, here in the Indo-Pacific region.'' 

''And this is not just an opinion. It is a fact. We in the Philippines can say this with certainty, because we face the threat every single day,'' the President said, without mentioning any specific country. 

He, however, cited the harassment being experienced by the Filipino fisherfolk in the South China Sea. 

''Our government vessels and fisherfolk continue to be harassed in our own waters, and we remain on the receiving end of illegal, coercive, aggressive, and dangerous actions in the South China Sea,'' Marcos said.

Marcos also said the Indo-Pacific remains the most consequential region for the world.

The forum, which features high-level discussions addressing the future of the Philippines-United States alliance, is organized by the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), which is a leading global policy research organization on political, economic and national security issues throughout the world.

Joining the President at the forum were Department of Public Works and Highways Secretary Vince Dizon, Philippine Ambassador to the United States Jose Manuel “Babe” Romualdez and US Ambassador to the Philippines MaryKay Carlson.

Meanwhile, Marcos said the Philippines is very much aware that the US has much on its plate, both geopolitically and economically. 

“We certainly are closely watching developments in Ukraine, the Middle East, and other flashpoints because we are keenly aware that the outcomes of the situation in these regions will certainly influence the outlook of – their outlook of the global community elsewhere,” he said. 

“And yet, we remain confident that the United States, as a self-declared Pacific nation, will remain oriented and committed to the Indo-Pacific, as history has consistently proven,” Marcos said. — RSJ, GMA Integrated News