By Ambassador Albert del Rosario
Chair, Stratbase ADR Institute
During the President’s State of the Nation Address on July 27, 2020, our President admitted that there was nothing he could do against China’s unlawful incursions into our West Philippine Sea. In his own words, our President said he is “inutile” and “cannot do anything” as China continues to take away what is ours.
In retrospect, we trusted our President and relied on his promise that he will invoke and enforce the UNCLOS Award, as part of his constitutional duty, as the Commander-in-Chief of our Army, to protect our national territory, including our waters and seas.
It therefore falls on us citizens and our patriotic officials in government to protect our nation’s patrimony for the benefit of our forefathers who defended it; and for benefit of future generations of Filipinos.
Despite our President’s admission that he “cannot do anything” to protect the West Philippine Sea, we Filipinos should continue to stand for what is right and to defend what is rightfully and legitimately ours under the Rule of Law. We should continue to ally ourselves with countries which share our democratic values and respect for the Rule of Law to be able to stand up to a bully like China. Finally, in addressing the most critical security issue in our region, our country, along with like-minded states, should continue to assert that “right is might” and that international law is the great equalizer among states.
Since the Award was issued four years ago, the Philippines—as the main beneficiary of the Award—has not been realizing the gains brought by the Award for the Filipino people. However, it is not too late.
We must not be willing victims by acquiescing to China’s blatant violation of the Rule of Law. We must not be silent as silence encourages further aggression into our lands and seas.
As we ordinary citizens continue to protect what is ours, we humbly beseech our government to help us in this endeavor. At the very least, our government should not stand in the way of Filipinos legitimately protecting their own lands and waters.