As the government worked on securing investments for the country, President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. assured the public that his administration would not let the Philippines lose an inch of its territory.
Marcos said this amid tensions in the South China Sea, particularly after the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said that a Chinese coast guard ship allegedly directed a "military-grade laser light" at BRP Malapascua, leaving a crew member temporarily blind and disrupting a mission in the South China Sea on Feb. 6.
In a speech at the Philippine Military Academy Alumni Homecoming 2023 in Baguio City, the President said that while the administration has been busy building ties with other nations, it had not forgotten about the safety and security of the Philippines.
"As we continue to develop our internal resources, we must pursue a path of prosperity that contributes to goals shared with the international community," Marcos said.
"We have cemented our bilateral relations with our allies, with our partners, with our friends. And as we work on translating these investments into material benefits for our people, we must ensure that we continue to preserve the security and the safety of our nation," he added.
According to the President, the country has seen heightened geopolitical tensions that go against its ideals of peace and threaten the security and stability of the Philippines, the region, and the world.
Despite this, Marcos said that he would lose a single inch of Philippine territory to anybody -- a similar declaration he made during his first State of the Nation Address in July last year.
"This country will not lose one inch of its territory," he said.
"We will continue to uphold our territorial integrity and sovereignty in accordance with our Constitution and international law," he added.
"We will work with our neighbors to secure the safety and security of our peoples," he continued.
On Tuesday, Feb. 14, President Marcos summoned the Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines Huang Xilian "to express his serious concern over the increasing frequency and intensity of actions by China against the Philippine Coast Guard and our Filipino fishermen in their bancas."
China, however, denied that its coast guard ship pointed a military-grade laser at the PCG vessel, saying it used a hand-held laser speed detector and hand-held greenlight pointer to "measure the distance and speed of the Philippine vessel and signal directions to ensure navigation safety."
"We need to highlight that the China Coast Guard ship did not direct lasers at the Philippine crew, and the hand-held equipment does not inflict damage on anything or anyone on the vessel. The Philippine side's allegation does not reflect the truth," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said.
Wang even blamed the Philippines for the incident, saying the Chinese coast guard was acting "in accordance with China's domestic law and international law." He said BRP Malapascua "intruded" into the area.
"We hope the Philippine side will respect China's territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in the South China Sea and avoid taking any actions that may exacerbate disputes and complicate the situation," he said.