Press Release

30 April 2023

Chinese acts of aggression in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) should be met with indignation at every turn because not to do so would play into Beijing’s game plan that the Philippines would eventually tire out from protesting, House Deputy Speaker Ralph Recto said.

“Even if we have to wallpaper the Great Wall with diplomatic protests, we should continue because once we show any sign of wavering, it normalizes China’s misbehavior inside our territory,” he said.

“Kahit bingi sila, we have to blow our whistle again and again. At least, the whole world would hear,” he said.

“’Yung pag protesta natin, ng pamahalaan man o ng mamamayan, ay parang burglar alarm that goes off when it is tripped. Ang masama ay if we turn it off. Tuloy tuloy lang,” Recto said.

“Sobrang kaswapangan na. Napakalawak ng dagat pero ayaw magpadaan. Hindi na nakuntento sa pangangamkam. Hindi ‘yan asal ng isang nagsasabing kaibigan niya tayo,” Recto said.

“We also owe it to our neighbors, who are the subject of Chinese incursions, to make noise,” Recto added. 

Recto made the statement as the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) reportedly plans to fire another round of diplomatic protests against Beijing following the harassment by Chinese ships of two Coast Guard patrol boats near Ayungin Shoal.

“That kind of maritime patintero, which China has perfected, has become part of the seascape. It never passes a chance to display its bully credentials,” Recto said.

The Philippine response to these provocations, Recto said, is to continue with its sea patrols, “ang patuloy na tahimik, legal na paglalayag sa karagatang tayo ang may-ari.” 

Last year, a total of 195 notes verbales on WPS incidents were filed by the DFA with the Chinese embassy.

The one filed on the second week of February, which denounced “dangerous maneuvers” of the Chinese Coast Guard in Ayungin Shoal, was the 75th “note verbale” filed under the Marcos administration.