President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. pushed back against China’s narrative that the Philippines is provoking instability in the region at the behest of more powerful nations, saying the country is acting independently to uphold its sovereignty and national interest. In an interview with Indian news outlet Firstpost on Wednesday, Mr. Marcos also dismissed claims that Manila’s growing security ties with countries like the United States and India make it a mere proxy. ‘‘That would imply we don’t have our own agency, that we’re just bystanders told what to do. That is certainly not the case,’’ Mr. Marcos said.

Marcos pushes back vs. China’s WPS narrative. (2025, August 8). Manila Standard, pp. A1, A2.