We Are Not Racists, We Are Not Liars: Philippine President Marcos Rebukes China

Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. used his fifth and penultimate State of the Nation Address (SONA) on Monday to deliver a veiled rebuke of China, reaffirm the country's commitment to the landmark 2016 South China Sea arbitration ruling, intensify his anti corruption campaign and signal a possible return to nuclear energy, as his administration enters its final two years.

Without naming China directly, Marcos declared that "Filipinos do not yield" and vowed to defend the Hague tribunal's ruling, which invalidated Beijing's sweeping claims in the South China Sea. "Your government will do all that is necessary to continue upholding this award, utilising every peaceful and legal means available... against any attempt, foreign or domestic, to undermine this achievement," he said. Marking the ruling's 10th anniversary, he added, "This is not a claim that we advance alone, nor one that we will abandon."

His remarks followed a diplomatic row after the state-run China Daily published AI generated videos and cartoons depicting Filipinos as monkeys. Marcos, who summoned Chinese Ambassador Jing Quan, said, "Of late, our very humanity has been called into question... Filipinos are a noble and a great race. We are not greedy. We are not racists. We are not liars." Beijing distanced itself from the publication, but Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian reiterated that the arbitration award was "illegal, null and void" and "a political farce disguised as a legal proceeding."

The speech came just days after fresh confrontations in the South China Sea, where the Philippines accused the Chinese Coast Guard of using water cannons against its vessels near Scarborough Shoal, underscoring persistent maritime tensions.

On the domestic front, Marcos announced that prosecutors were preparing multiple corruption cases against former House Speaker Martin Romualdez, his cousin and longtime ally, over alleged kickbacks from flood control projects. "This is painful to me, but we have to do the right thing. I am not the president of my family. I am not the president of my friends. I am the President of the Philippines, and my duty is to the Filipino people," he said. Authorities have recovered or frozen nearly 25 billion pesos (USD 410 million) linked to the broader investigation. Romualdez denied any wrongdoing and said he was ready to defend himself.

Marcos also proposed tax relief for workers and small businesses, measures to reduce electricity costs and said the Philippines should revisit nuclear power to strengthen energy security after fuel price shocks linked to the Iran conflict, promising any future programme would meet strict safety standards. Outside Congress, hundreds of protesters demanded stronger action on corruption, inflation and wages, highlighting the domestic challenges facing Marcos in the final stretch of his presidency.