President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. on Thursday said the Philippine government will find "other ways" to proceed with the joint exploration with China of the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea) if government-to-government talks do not work out. Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the Kadiwa ng Pasko Caravan in Quezon City, Marcos said oil exploration is a "small thing" for China but something significant for the Philippines.

Valente, C. S., & Maralit, K. (2022, December 2). Marcos pushes joint exploration of WPS. The Manila Times, pp. A1, A9.