By Benjamin Cuaresma
MANILA, Philippines — Filipino patriotic groups led by the “Filipinos Do Not Yield” movement staged a lightning rally outside the Chinese Embassy in Makati City, denouncing what they described as China’s continuing harassment, intimidation and aggressive actions against Filipino vessels, fishermen and government personnel in the West Philippine Sea.
The protesters called for a stronger and more unified defense of Philippine sovereignty, insisting that the country must stand firm in protecting its maritime rights and sovereign entitlements under international law.
The demonstrators specifically condemned reported incidents involving the use of water cannons, dangerous maneuvers and other coercive actions by Chinese maritime forces against Filipinos operating in areas within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone.
The groups said such actions run counter to the Philippines’ rights under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and the 2016 Arbitral Award, which rejected the legal basis of China’s expansive claims over much of the South China Sea.
The 2016 ruling remains a central point of reference in the Philippines’ position on the West Philippine Sea. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has repeatedly vowed that his administration will continue to uphold the award through peaceful and lawful means.
In his 2026 State of the Nation Address, Marcos said the Philippines would use “every peaceful and legal means available” to protect the country’s gains under the ruling and stressed that the award was not something the country would abandon.
“This is not a claim that we advance alone, nor is it one that we will abandon,” Marcos said.
The President also recognized the Armed Forces of the Philippines, the Philippine Coast Guard and Filipino fisherfolk for continuing to operate in the West Philippine Sea despite the risks posed by the continuing tensions.
The rallying cry of the protesters — “Filipinos Do Not Yield” — has also echoed the administration’s increasingly firm language on the maritime dispute. Marcos has used the phrase in defending the country’s sovereignty and national dignity amid continuing friction with Beijing.
The movement has previously held similar demonstrations outside the Chinese Embassy, with allied patriotic and civic organizations joining calls for the government to protect Philippine maritime rights and resist what they regard as Chinese coercion.
The protests come amid persistent tensions in the West Philippine Sea, where confrontations between Philippine and Chinese vessels have repeatedly raised concerns over the safety of Filipino personnel and fishermen and the country’s ability to exercise its sovereign rights in its maritime zones.
For the protesters, however, the issue goes beyond individual maritime incidents.
They said defending the West Philippine Sea is a matter of national sovereignty, dignity and the country’s obligation to future generations — making continued public vigilance and unity essential in resisting any attempt to undermine Philippine rights.
The National Heroes Day timing of the demonstration further underscored their message: that defending the country’s territory and national interests remains a responsibility that Filipinos must carry forward.
ia/xf
