We are deeply thankful that President-elect Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. declared what Filipinos would like to hear: that the 2016 Arbitral Ruling is not a claim but already a right, that our sovereignty is “sacred,” and that he would not “allow a single millimeter of our maritime coastal rights to be trampled upon.” War has never been an option for the Philippines as war is outlawed by our Constitution and international law. However, the President, as chief protector of our national territory, has various ways to fulfill his sacred duty to the Filipino people.

Del Rosario, A. (2022, May 27). On the President-elect's statement to uphold the 2016 arbitral ruling. Manila Standard, p. B1.