As the country builds strategic alliances with traditional and newfound partners in the international community, President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. assured Filipinos that he would protect the country's sovereignty, saying it is essential to Philippine progress.

President Ferdinand 'Bongbong' Marcos Jr. (Noel Pabalate)

Marcos said this during his second State of the Nation Address (SONA) on Monday, July 24.

In his speech, the President said the country's progress relies on the people and an intact nation.

"Our journey to progress requires not only unity and social cohesion amongst our people. It is also imperative that our nation remains intact and inviolable— our sovereignty preserved," he said.

"We will protect our sovereign rights and preserve our territorial integrity, in defense of rules-based international order," he added.

Marcos vowed to keep in mind the country's interests and pursue the peaceful resolution of conflicts.

"With our national interest paramount, we will always pursue constant dialogue and diplomatic approaches to the resolution of any issue that may arise," he said.

The President's remark came amid China's continued rejection of the 2016 Permanent Court of Arbitration ruling invalidating its nine-dash line claim over a large portion of the disputed South China Sea.

Former president Rodrigo Duterte recently had a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping. Marcos claimed to know about the meeting he described as "between friends."

Strategic alliances

Meanwhile, President Marcos said that his independent foreign policy has proven effective.

"We have formed strategic alliances with our traditional and newfound partners in the international community," he said.

Since assuming office, President Marcos has made 14 overseas trips:

1. Jakarta and Bogor, Indonesia (State Visit, Sept. 4-6, 2022)
2. Singapore (State Visit, Sept. 6-7, 2022)
3. New York, USA (Working Visit, Sept. 18-24, 2022)
4. Singapore (Unannounced, Oct. 1-3, 2022)
5. Phnom Penh, Cambodia (Working Visit, Nov. 9-13, 2022)
6. Bangkok, Thailand (Working Visit, Nov. 16-19, 2022)
7. Brussels and Schaerbeek, Belgium (Working Visit, Dec. 12-14, 2022)
8. Beijing, China (State Visit, Jan. 3-6, 2023)
9. Davos and Zurich, Switzerland (Working Visit, Jan. 15-20, 2023)
10. Tokyo, Japan (Working Visit, Feb. 8-12, 2023)
11. Washington D.C., US (Official Visit, April 30-May 4, 2023)
12. London, United Kindom (Official Visit, May 5-6, 2023)
13. Labuan Bajo, Indonesia (Working Visit, May 9-11, 2023)

He is set to embark on a trip to Malaysia on July 25.

In his SONA, Marcos said these trips aimed to promote the country's interests. He added that they were also for peace-building and mutually beneficial purposes.

According to Marcos, these economic missions have yielded an estimated total investment value of P3.9 trillion, potentially generating 175,000 jobs.

Trade agreements

Meanwhile, President Marcos said that the Philippines' existing bilateral and multilateral trade agreements within the ASEAN and with Japan, and Europe, allow the country to leverage its competitive advantages and reap economic benefits.

"We will continue to forge more of these international partnerships that will lead to a more balanced trade strategy and a healthier economic position," he said.

He added that the Philippines now has competitive access to a regional market that comprises two billion people with the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP). RCEP is a multilateral trade arrangement with the ASEAN and other countries, such as Australia, China, Japan, Korea, and New Zealand.