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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider 47 diplomatic protests filed vs China this year—DFA chief

47 diplomatic protests filed vs China this year—DFA chief

Published Oct 14, 2025 06:54 pm
DFA Secretary Ma. Theresa Lazaro keynotes the Philippines' high-level meeting on Loss and Damage at the United Nations General Assembly in New York. (Photo from Sec. Lazaro via X post)
DFA Secretary Ma. Theresa Lazaro keynotes the Philippines' high-level meeting on Loss and Damage at the United Nations General Assembly in New York. (Photo from Sec. Lazaro via X post)
The Philippines has already filed a total of 47 diplomatic protests this year against China’s aggressive and dangerous actions in the contested South China Sea, Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Secretary Ma. Theresa Lazaro revealed on Tuesday, Oct. 14.

The number does not include the diplomatic protest that will be lodged against the Oct. 12 ramming and water cannoning of three Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) vessels near the Pag-asa Island by China Coast Guard (CCG) and Chinese militia vessels.

“The Philippines will file a diplomatic protest on the 12 October 2025 incident in the territorial sea of Pag-asa Island. The above figure (47) does not include this,” the DFA clarified in a separate statement.

Lazaro gave the figure during the deliberations on the DFA’s budget at the Senate on Tuesday.

There, she explained that diplomatic protests were a result of “coordination between the concerned security agencies and the department.”

But when prompted about other proposals to address the persistent issue of Chinese aggression in the South China Sea, the DFA chief said these would have to be detailed in a “confidential manner.”

What Lazaro shared was the current mechanisms in place to deal with the current maritime and territorial issues with China.

“Well, I have mentioned that in the past, and you've taken note of it, about the bilateral consultative mechanism. We have also the foreign ministry consultations, the bilateral consultative mechanism on the South China Sea. So these are all issues that are in the concern,” she told the panel.

The DFA chief herself attended a bilateral consultative mechanism with China in Xiamen this year, while a ministerial meeting should also be scheduled within the year.

“It's usually back to back. And then, Your Honor, we also have meetings on consular consultations, which was just held about a month ago,” Lazaro stated.

The DFA, however, has yet to comment on another incident between CCG vessels and the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) and BFAR carrying out a humanitarian mission on Monday, Oct. 13 near the Scarborough Shoal and Escoda Shoal.

In a statement, PCG spokesman Jay Tarriela said that Philippine ships were warned that Filipino fishing boats could damage the “environmental reserve” and were told to stay out of the Scarborough Shoal.

Related Tags

diplomatic protest South China Sea DFA Ma. Theresa Lazaro
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