Marcos: PH Won't Abandon Arbitral Award Amid China Clashes

In a recent ANC 24/7 report titled "'We are not racist, not liars', Marcos says PH won't abandon arbitral award," President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. stood before the Batasang Pambansa in Quezon City on July 27, 2026, and delivered a direct rebuke to foreign detractors during his fifth State of the Nation Address. The 90-minute speech, which ran from shortly after 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., drew a standing ovation when Marcos declared that Filipinos are "not greedy, not racists, not liars" and vowed that the Philippines would never abandon the 2016 arbitral award. The moment came amid fresh maritime clashes that had already injured two Filipino Navy personnel earlier that week.

Marcos Reaffirms Philippine Sovereignty Over West Philippine Sea in 2026 SONA Amid China Clashes

Manila, Philippines — President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. used his July 27, 2026, State of the Nation Address at the Batasang Pambansa to draw a firm line against any attempt to undermine the 2016 arbitral award, directly addressing recent Chinese actions that injured Filipino sailors and prompted Manila to summon Beijing's ambassador. The speech, delivered to members of Congress and watched by millions of Filipinos across the archipelago, emphasized that the award remains "final and binding" and that the government will use every peaceful and legal means to uphold it. Marcos closed the foreign-policy portion with the line "Sa manlulupig, 'di tayo pasisiil," triggering another standing ovation and chants of "BBM, BBM" inside the session hall.

The Story: A President Draws a Line in the Sea

Marcos opened the foreign-policy section by noting that the nation's unity faces a common threat directed against Filipino dignity and self-respect. He reminded both allies and critics that Filipinos are a noble and dignified people who do not yield, a statement that resonated with the thousands of fisherfolk who have faced water cannon and ramming incidents in the West Philippine Sea. The President singled out the Armed Forces of the Philippines, the Philippine Coast Guard, and ordinary fisherfolk for their role in giving life to the arbitral award through daily presence at sea. This public acknowledgment placed the human cost of the standoff at the center of national policy.

The SONA declaration strengthens Marcos's position ahead of the 2028 transition by positioning him as the defender of the 2016 arbitral award, a stance that could consolidate support from the Armed Forces of the Philippines and coastal provinces when candidates begin positioning for the next presidential race. Analysts at the University of the Philippines note that tying sovereignty to daily naval presence gives Marcos leverage over potential rivals who might favor softer diplomacy with Beijing.

The closing line "Sa manlulupig, 'di tayo pasisiil" directly echoes the 1898 Philippine national anthem and resonated in public squares from Baguio's Session Road to Cebu's Fuente Osmeña and Davao's Rizal Park, where crowds gathered to watch the address on large screens and responded with spontaneous applause and chants of the same phrase.

Local radio stations in those cities reported immediate positive feedback from listeners, with fisherfolk in Davao calling in to say the words gave them hope that Manila would continue resupply missions to the BRP Sierra Madre despite the risks.

What Triggered the President's Words

Two days before the SONA, on July 20, 2026, China Coast Guard personnel allegedly assaulted Filipino sailors near the BRP Sierra Madre at Ayungin Shoal, injuring two Navy personnel in the first serious seaborne clash in months. Marcos immediately summoned Chinese Ambassador Jing Quan to Malacañang on July 21. On July 23 and 24, China Coast Guard vessels again used water cannon against Philippine government ships near Bajo de Masinloc, marking the third confrontation in one week while Manila hosted ASEAN foreign ministers' meetings that included Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi. A China Daily video released weeks earlier had depicted Filipinos as cartoon monkeys, prompting Manila to file a diplomatic protest and drawing a partial distancing from Beijing's envoy.

The 2016 Arbitral Award, Explained for Every Filipino

The Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague issued the July 12, 2016, ruling under UNCLOS Annex VII, invalidating China's nine-dash line claims across the South China Sea and affirming Philippine sovereign rights within its exclusive economic zone. The Philippines refers to its portion as the West Philippine Sea, a name now used in official government maps and school textbooks. The award marked its tenth anniversary in 2026, and Marcos described it as the definitive benchmark for interpreting UNCLOS, a position that directly affects the daily fishing grounds of thousands of families from Palawan to Zambales. The ruling remains non-negotiable for Manila even as China continues to reject it.

The tribunal ruled that China's nine-dash line has no legal basis under UNCLOS, that Scarborough Shoal is a rock entitled only to a 12-nautical-mile territorial sea, and that Ayungin Shoal lies within the Philippines' exclusive economic zone where Manila holds sovereign rights to resources. It also affirmed that the Philippines may regulate fishing and oil exploration inside that zone without Chinese interference.

Beijing has rejected the award since its release, calling it null and void and continuing to base its patrols on the nine-dash line map, a position that has led to repeated blocking of Philippine vessels at features the tribunal placed under Manila's jurisdiction.

For Filipino fishermen from Palawan and Zambales, the ruling provides the legal foundation to demand access to traditional grounds without facing water cannon or boarding, a protection the Department of Foreign Affairs has cited in every protest note filed since 2016.

A Week of Confrontation in the West Philippine Sea

The sequence of incidents began at Ayungin Shoal on July 20 when Chinese personnel boarded and assaulted Filipino sailors resupplying the BRP Sierra Madre garrison. Two days later, water cannon attacks struck Philippine vessels at Bajo de Masinloc on consecutive days, disrupting rotation and resupply missions. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio was in Manila during the same period, publicly labeling the Chinese actions dangerous while ASEAN meetings continued in the capital. These events unfolded against the backdrop of the arbitral award's tenth anniversary, sharpening the stakes for coastal communities that rely on those waters for livelihood.

The BRP Sierra Madre has served as a Philippine Marine garrison at Ayungin Shoal since it was deliberately grounded there in 1999, with rotating crews relying on monthly resupply missions that Chinese vessels have increasingly tried to prevent through blocking and boarding tactics.

During the July 23 and 24 water cannon incidents at Bajo de Masinloc, Philippine Coast Guard ships were forced to abort rotation runs, while Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi attended ASEAN meetings in Manila and met US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on the sidelines without any joint statement on the clashes.

These repeated confrontations signal that both sides are testing limits before the arbitral award's tenth anniversary passes, raising the risk that a single miscalculation near the garrison could draw in additional Philippine Navy assets or trigger formal invocation of the Mutual Defense Treaty with Washington.

Impact on Filipinos

Fisherfolk from San Jose in Occidental Mindoro and Subic in Zambales have reported shrinking catches and rising fuel costs as they detour around Chinese vessels to reach traditional grounds. Families of the two injured Navy personnel now face medical bills and uncertain futures while the Philippine Coast Guard continues daily patrols. The standoff also affects OFW remittances from seafarers whose routes cross the same waters, and it raises questions about food security for urban markets in Manila and Cebu that depend on West Philippine Sea harvests. Marcos's pledge to defend the award therefore translates into concrete protection for these households rather than abstract diplomacy.

In San Jose, Occidental Mindoro, small boat operators report that detours around Chinese patrols now add four hours and P8,000 in extra diesel per trip, cutting monthly income for families who supply dried fish to markets in Manila. Similar stories come from Subic in Zambales, where operators have shifted to night fishing to avoid daylight confrontations.

Seafarers from Batanes and Palawan whose routes pass through the West Philippine Sea have seen insurance premiums rise, affecting OFW remittances that support households in those provinces while the Philippine Seafarers Welfare Fund fields more calls about route safety.

Coastal communities in these areas also face psychological strain, with local health centers in Occidental Mindoro recording increased anxiety cases among wives of fishermen who stay out longer to avoid Chinese vessels, compounding worries over food security as West Philippine Sea catches decline in urban centers like Cebu.

Reactions and Responses

Opposition lawmakers and civil society groups welcomed the strong language but urged the administration to accelerate modernization of the Philippine Navy and Coast Guard. The Department of Foreign Affairs lodged formal protests over both the racist video and the July clashes, while the Armed Forces of the Philippines maintained its presence at Ayungin Shoal. Chinese officials offered limited distancing from the China Daily video yet continued to assert claims rejected by the 2016 tribunal. Within the barangays along the western seaboard, residents organized bayanihan-style support drives for affected fisherfolk, echoing the spirit of collective defense Marcos invoked in his speech.

The Senate issued a resolution on July 28, 2026, commending the SONA stance and calling for increased funding for the Philippine Navy's offshore patrol vessels, while the Department of National Defense confirmed that resupply missions to Ayungin Shoal will continue under armed escort.

The Philippine Coast Guard released a statement detailing the July 20 boarding incident and released footage showing the two injured sailors being evacuated, prompting the Chinese embassy in Manila to issue a brief note urging restraint without addressing the arbitral award itself.

Fisherfolk groups such as Pamalakaya organized a rally outside the Chinese consulate in Cebu on July 29, while social media trends in the Philippines showed the hashtag #WestPHSea trending with videos of the SONA applause mixed with clips of water cannon incidents shared by users from Zambales and Palawan.

What to Watch For

Marcos's second-to-the-last SONA sets the stage for continued legal and diplomatic moves through 2028, including possible new arbitration filings and expanded joint patrols with partners. Congress is expected to act on his call to amend the EPIRA law and expand income tax exemptions up to P350,000 annually, measures that could ease household burdens while the maritime dispute continues. The sounding rocket test at Cagayan's planned space port next year and the completion of SLEX TR4 this year will test whether infrastructure gains can proceed alongside security challenges. Observers will also monitor whether the Ombudsman files cases against former House Speaker Martin Romualdez over the flood control scam as promised.

Pending Senate resolutions include one that would formally request the Department of Foreign Affairs to explore additional arbitration filings on Chinese structures built on features inside the Philippine EEZ since the 2016 ruling.

Joint patrols with the US, Japan, and Australia are scheduled for later this quarter, building on the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement sites in Palawan and Cagayan, while Code of Conduct talks with ASEAN and China remain stalled over Manila's insistence that the 2016 award be referenced in any final text.

These developments will shape the foreign policy platform of candidates eyeing the 2028 presidential race, as coastal provinces weigh whether continued confrontation or renewed diplomacy better protects their fishing grounds and livelihoods.

Marcos's July 27, 2026, declaration that the Philippines will not abandon the arbitral award places the daily struggles of fisherfolk, sailors, and coastal families at the heart of national policy, signaling that sovereignty remains non-negotiable even as other domestic reforms move forward.

By Bella Reyes, Staff Writer

This article was produced with AI-assisted research and editorial support. Reporting is based on sources cited in the article.