Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr reaffirmed the country’s resolve to protect its sovereignty in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) despite the ongoing presence of China’s massive “monster ship” in Philippine waters.

Marcos emphasized that the Philippines would never abandon its exclusive economic zone (EEZ) and would continue asserting its rights in the disputed waters, regardless of provocations from China.

“They will always find the Philippine presence, no matter what they do. Even if they ram our ships, water cannon us, fire lasers at us, or block our way—no matter what they do, the Philippines will be there,” Marcos said in a press briefing at Malacañang on February 6.

He reaffirmed that Philippine vessels would persist in patrolling the West Philippine Sea despite harassment from China.

“What is the mission of the Coast Guard? What is the mission of the Navy? To protect the territorial integrity of the Philippines. So, that’s what they do. They will continue to do that no matter what any other foreign power does,” Marcos told reporters during the press briefing.

“We will always be there protecting our territory. We will always be there making sure our fishermen are able to exercise their sovereign rights,” the president stressed.

While acknowledging the Philippines’ limited military capacity compared to China’s, Marcos stressed that the country would maintain its stance.

When asked if the government would change its approach, given that China’s vessel had remained in Philippine territory, he affirmed that the Philippines would continue defending its rights in the EEZ.

“Well, we don’t have the means to expel them. It’s good if we have an aircraft carrier that has a destroyer, frigate, and submarine that may expel the vessel. We don’t have that,” said Marcos. 

“If it’s about the size and number of vessels, we are far behind China. But our policy is that we will just continue to defend our sovereign territory and territorial rights in the EEZ,” he added. 

Marcos emphasized that the country’s maritime forces would uphold their mission to protect Philippine sovereignty, regardless of external interference.

Earlier, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) successfully drove the China Coast Guard (CCG) vessel 5901, known as the monster ship, farther from the Zambales coastline, where it had been hovering for nearly a month. CCG 5901 was first spotted 54 nautical miles from the coast of Zambales on January 4, but the BRP Teresa Magbanua has since pushed it away from Philippine waters.

Politician questions existence of West Philippine Sea

Marcos also addressed remarks from Sagip Party-list Representative Rodante Marcoleta, who questioned the existence of the West Philippine Sea and claimed the term lacked international recognition.

During a congressional inquiry on fake news, Marcoleta argued that the Philippines created the term and that the public needed better education on the South China Sea’s complexities.

Marcos dismissed the statements as a political move, noting Marcoleta’s senate candidacy in the 2025 May elections.

“All I can say is he’s expressing his opinion,” Marcos said when asked for a comment. “He’s a candidate, so he has to grab headlines. We’re talking about him already. He’s good at doing that,” he added.

Marcoleta’s comments sparked criticism from advocates of the Philippines’ maritime claims, particularly those supporting the 2016 arbitral ruling under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), which upheld the Philippines’ EEZ and invalidated China’s extensive claims in the South China Sea.

“That is the creation by us. To be honest, even if you read the map or whatever, there is no West Philippine Sea. The West Philippine Sea is the area we are claiming. This is the exclusive economic zone,” Marcoleta said.

“The complications of the West Philippine Sea have not been explained to our people, which is why we all become vulnerable. They say that China has occupied our territory,” he added.

History of the term “West Philippine Sea”

Philippine law defines the West Philippine Sea as the portions of the South China Sea that the government claims as part of the country’s exclusive economic zone.

The term “West Philippine Sea” was formally adopted by the Philippine government in 2012 through Administrative Order No. 29, signed by then-President Benigno Aquino III. 

The order designated maritime areas on the western side of the Philippine archipelago as the West Philippine Sea, including waters surrounding the Kalayaan Island Group and Scarborough Shoal (Bajo de Masinloc).

In recent years, China’s expansive territorial claims have continued to clash with the Philippines’ internationally recognized rights to its EEZ. The Permanent Court of Arbitration ruled in 2016 that China’s claims have no legal basis — a decision Beijing continues to reject.

Photo credit: Presidential Communications Office. Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.