• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has called for national unity during his State of the Nation Address (SONA), urging Filipinos to stand shoulder-to-shoulder on the West Philippine Sea issue while defending the nation’s honor against external insults.
Addressing the joint session of Congress on Monday, July 27, Marcos forcefully rejected derogatory portrayals of Filipinos – an apparent reference to a controversial state-media video from China – asserting the integrity and resilience of the national character.
“Let me remind our friends and our detractors: Filipinos are a noble, kind, gracious, and great race. We are not greedy. We are not racists. We are not liars,” Marcos stated to widespread applause. “We are respectful, and we are dignified. We are Filipinos, and we do not yield.”
Highlighting the recent 10th anniversary of the 2016 Arbitral Award under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, the President reiterated that the historic legal victory remains a definitive benchmark for maritime rights in the region.
Marcos pledged that the government would deploy every peaceful and legal instrument available to safeguard the award against both foreign and domestic attempts to diminish it.
“This is not a claim that we advance alone, nor is it one that we will abandon,” he emphasized.
Marcos also paid tribute to the men and women safeguarding Philippine waters, expressing collective gratitude to the Armed Forces of the Philippines for defending sovereign territory despite security risks, Philippine Coast Guard for maintaining continuous maritime patrols and law enforcement, and fishermen for enduring hazards at sea to uphold the nation’s presence and economic livelihood.
He noted that these groups “give life to the letter and spirit of the Arbitral Award.”
The President urged Filipinos to set aside domestic differences to confront external challenges together.
“May our unity and love for our country and fellow Filipinos prevail. In this issue, we are not divided; we remain bound together – just as we have demonstrated throughout our history,” Marcos said. “Against insults, we will not be shaken. To the oppressor, we will not yield.” | GPB
