“Our patience is not a sign of weakness, and our silence is not for sale”
The salt air of the West Philippine Sea should carry the scent of freedom and the promise of a livelihood for our fisherfolk.
Instead, for too long, it has been choked by the smog of grey-zone hulls and the violent spray of water cannons.
As I stood alongside the brave men and women of the Filipinos Do Not Yield (FDNY) Movement, ABKD, PADER, and LIPI in front of the Chinese Embassy, the message was clear: Our patience is not a sign of weakness, and our silence is not for sale.
The continued intimidation by Chinese maritime forces within our Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) is no longer just a diplomatic “misunderstanding.”
It is a calculated, persistent assault on Philippine sovereignty and the international rule of law.
A breach of global trust
When Chinese vessels harass our soldiers and blast our fishermen with water cannons, they aren’t just hitting a hull; they are striking at the heart of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
The 2016 Arbitral Award was not a mere piece of paper to be discarded. It is a definitive legal victory that invalidated the expansive “nine-dash line.”
To ignore this is to embrace anarchy over order.
By persisting in these coercive actions, Beijing is attempting to normalize a “might makes right” doctrine that has no place in the 21st century.
The enemy within: Misinformation
What is perhaps more painful than the external aggression is the internal betrayal.
We see it in the columns of certain pundits and the rhetoric of specific politicians who continue to echo Beijing’s talking points.
They paint the Philippines as the “provocateur” for simply existing and operating within its own waters.
Let us be clear: defending one’s home is not a provocation.
Vigilance against this “fifth column” of misinformation is just as vital as our patrols at Ayungin Shoal. We must call out those who prioritize foreign interests over the safety of our own coast guard and the dignity of our flag.
A mandate for firmness
We stand firmly behind the government’s current principled stance.
Defending our maritime rights is not an optional policy—it is a constitutional obligation. We urge our leaders to remain unyielding.
The moment we stop speaking out is the moment we concede our territory.
As FDNY convenor Giselle Albano rightly said, if we allow this bullying to be normalized, it won’t just be our soldiers who suffer—it will be every Filipino whose future depends on the resources of our seas.
Our collective resolve
Our protest was not an act of hate, but an act of profound love for the Philippines.
To our neighbors in Beijing, the message is simple:
- Respect our EEZ.
- Abide by the arbitral ruling.
- Withdraw from our waters.
The West Philippine Sea is not a backyard for a superpower; it is the lifeblood of a sovereign nation.
We are a peace-loving people, but do not mistake our civility for submission.
The West Philippine Sea is ours, and Filipinos do not yield.
(The writer is the Chairman Emeritus of ABKD, PADER, LIPI, and the FDNY Movement. He is a longtime advocate for civic reform and national sovereignty.)
