President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. had some pointed words about how the rest of the world seems to view the South China Sea (SCS) conflict: disappointed, perhaps even frustrated, with what he sees as a waning global resolve. Speaking at a foreign policy forum hosted by the Observer Research Foundation, Marcos didn’t name names, but the message was clear: countries that once stood firm on shared international principles seem to have gone quiet. The SCS overlaps the West Philippine Sea, which a 2016 arbitral ruling declared encompassed the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone.

Quevedo, R., & Kabagani, L. J. (2025, August 8). Marcos rips geopolitical excuses amid sea conflict. Daily Tribune, pp. A1, A2.