Let there be no mistake. The territory of the Republic of the Philippines is not a matter of negotiation or reinterpretation. It is an indivisible whole, defined by incontrovertible historical facts and enshrined in international law. We will not be swayed by baseless narratives or coercive tactics.
The historical record is indisputable. Philippine territorial integrity is anchored upon the 1898 Treaty of Paris, as clarified and perfected by the 1900 Treaty of Washington. The latter treaty was not a footnote; it was a deliberate and legally binding act that unequivocally affirmed Spain’s cession of the entire Philippine archipelago to the United States, including any and all islands lying outside the original treaty lines. This act legally cemented features like Bajo de Masinloc (Scarborough Shoal) and the Kalayaan Island Group (the Spratlys) as integral parts of our archipelago long before any other nation laid its manufactured claims upon them.
China’s narrative that the Philippines is a “late claimant” is unadulterated fiction, self-serving and lamely designed to legitimize its expansionist agenda. This claim conveniently ignores centuries of legal history and is flatly contradicted by official maps and legal documents that predate the People’s Republic of China itself.
More damningly, China is bound by its own words. In its official submissions to the arbitral tribunal in The Hague, China made a judicial admission by acknowledging the Treaty of Paris and Treaty of Washington as part of the legal instruments governing Philippine territory. In its haste to discredit the Philippines, China legally estopped itself, inadvertently validating the very foundation of our claims. This is not our interpretation; this is a fact of their own making, a damning contradiction that exposes the hollowness of their position before the international community.
The mandate of the Department of National Defense and the Armed Forces of the Philippines is derived from this unassailable legal and historical clarity, which is further reinforced and affirmed by modern international law, particularly the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Seas (UNCLOS) and the 2016 Arbitral Award. This dual foundation of historical sovereignty and legally recognized maritime rights provide the principled basis for our actions. Every patrol we conduct, every outpost we maintain, and every Filipino we protect in the West Philippine Sea is an exercise of our sovereign rights and jurisdiction. These are not provocations: they are an indissoluble element of sovereignty and the mandate of a State to protect.
We do not seek conflict, but we will not shrink from our sacred duty to protect our country. The time for historical revisionism is over. The defense of Philippine territory is absolute and non-negotiable. Any and all attempts to illegally occupy, control, or challenge our sovereignty will be met with the unwavering and united resolve of the Filipino people. We will not yield.