Malacañang on Friday welcomed international recognition from Lithuanian Defense Minister Dovilė Šakalienė for the Marcos administration’s transparency in defending Philippine sovereignty in the West Philippine Sea (WPS).
“We thank Lithuania and Defense Minister Dovilė Šakalienė for recognizing the President’s efforts to defend the rights of our fishermen and our people,” said Presidential Communications Office Undersecretary Claire Castro.
“It’s heartening to hear such recognition from a foreign official, especially when some of our own compatriots and public servants fail to take a firm stance or even condemn the actions of our President in defending the West Philippine Sea,” Castro added.
Šakalienė lauded the Marcos administration’s transparency efforts in documenting and reporting harassment of Filipino fishermen by Chinese vessels in the West Philippine Sea, calling it a “gold standard” in strategic communication.
During her ongoing four-day official visit to the Philippines, Šakalienė commended the Philippine government for its consistent release of evidence and reports related to China’s provocative actions in contested waters.
“The Philippines’ documentation and reportage of harassment by China of fishermen can be considered as a gold standard and showed how China is gaslighting you and gaslighting your people,” the Lithuanian official said in an interview.
The Marcos administration has actively publicized incidents of Chinese aggression in the region, aiming to inform both the local public and the international community while rallying diplomatic support to assert the Philippines’ maritime rights.
Šakalienė’s visit is part of Lithuania’s broader effort to deepen defense and security ties with Indo-Pacific allies amid rising tensions in the region.