House Speaker Martin Romualdez (Facebook)

House Speaker Martin Romualdez has reaffirmed during the World Economic Forum (WEF) 2025 in Davos, Switzerland the Philippines unwavering stance to protect its territorial integrity.

“President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. has been very, very firm on his policy that we should not give an inch of any Philippine territory,” said Romualdez, who spoke as a panelist during the Stakeholder Dialogue titled “Navigating Asia’s Hotspots” at the WEF on Wednesday, Jan. 22 (Switzerland time)

Romualdez, arguably Marcos' top lieutenant in the bureaucracy, led the Philippine delegation to this year's meeting, which was attended by top global business leaders. 

“Having that been said, we celebrate, of course, our rules-based global order, and with the UNCLOS (United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea) and the 2016 arbitral award recognizing the sovereignty of the Philippines, we stand steadfast with the President's policy in enforcing that,” he added.

Romualdez was joined in the panel by Timor-Leste President Jose Ramos Horta; Indonesia’s Foreign Minister Sugiono; Michael Froman, President of the Council on Foreign Relations; and Tulsi Naidu, Chief Executive Officer of Asia-Pacific, Zurich Insurance Group.

Marcos' pronouncements notwithstanding, the Speaker emphasized that the Philippines under its current administration has adopted a pragmatic and balanced approach to navigating the intensifying geopolitical competition between the United States (US) and China, particularly in relation to the South China Sea issue. 

During the panel discussion, Romualdez underscored the Philippines’ strategic position as an ally of the US and a vital trade partner of China. He advocated for leveraging both relationships to advance the country’s national interests.

'We are not taking sides'

He noted that the territorial dispute in South China Sea does not define the entirety of the Philippines’ relationship with China.

“Despite the President being very firm on this policy of not giving up a single inch, we are working daily to de-escalate tensions. We do not want the South China Sea dispute to overshadow the many other facets of our relationship with China, including trade, education, and cultural exchanges,” Romualdez said.

“We are not taking sides. The United States is our long-standing ally, and China is our largest trading partner. The Philippines is navigating a middle path where we maximize opportunities from both relationships while actively participating in the broader global community,” he explained.

“Our enduring alliance with the United States strengthens our ability to safeguard sovereignty and pursue peace. At the same time, we remain proactive in fostering relationships with all nations to promote global collaboration,” the House leader said.