Stand up for the Philippines

The call—made on National Heroes Day while the nation was commemorating Filipinos who resisted aggressors, oppressors, and foreign rule—deserves serious attention. Marcos stressed that defending Philippine territory is not the exclusive duty of soldiers, sailors, coast guard personnel or government officials. It is a responsibility shared by the entire nation.

The timing could hardly be more significant.

This year marks a decade since the 2016 South China Sea Arbitral Award, issued under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), affirmed important aspects of the Philippines’ maritime entitlements and rejected the legal basis of expansive claims inconsistent with UNCLOS. The ruling remains a cornerstone of the Philippines’ position in the West Philippine Sea.

But a legal victory is meaningful only if a nation has the resolve to uphold its rights.

That resolve cannot exist where national interests are casually exchanged for political favors, commercial opportunities, or personal advantage. Neither can it flourish when Filipinos choose to appease those who disregard Philippine sovereignty, intimidate Filipino citizens, or trample upon rights recognized under international law.

Such capitulation should not be romanticized as pragmatism.

The Philippines should maintain peaceful and constructive relations with every country. Bear in mind that diplomacy is not weakness; negotiation is not surrender; and international cooperation is indispensable. But friendship between nations must be reciprocal. Economic partnerships must not become instruments of dependence. Strategic alliances must not erase national interests. And no foreign power, regardless of its wealth, military strength, or political influence, should be treated as entitled to Philippine territory or sovereign rights.

Filipinos who deliberately place foreign interests above the fundamental interests of the Philippines should be held to account in the court of public opinion. Patriotism does not demand blind loyalty to any administration. It demands loyalty to the nation.

The government must make patriotism informed and enduring. Schools should teach Philippine history, constitutional principles, maritime law and the significance of the 2016 Award—not as propaganda, but as matters of civic knowledge. The government must strengthen maritime security, diplomatic capabilities, scientific research, fisheries protection, and truthful public communication.

The private sector likewise cannot remain a passive observer. Businesses can support Filipino research, maritime industries, local enterprises, fisherfolk communities and educational initiatives that strengthen national capacity. Universities and media institutions can help citizens distinguish evidence from disinformation and national interest from political expediency.

But ultimately, the defense of the Philippines begins with ordinary citizens.

Every Filipino can contribute by learning the country’s history, rejecting disinformation, respecting the law, performing civic duties honestly, supporting Filipino communities and refusing to treat sovereignty as a bargaining chip.

Our heroes understood that some things are greater than immediate gain.

So must we.

The Philippines cannot stand tall if its own people willingly bow to those who seek to diminish it. We cannot defend our country while surrendering our principles for small and temporary gains. And we cannot honor those who fought for this nation if we lack the courage to stand for it ourselves.

The Philippines is worth fighting for. Its sovereignty is worth defending. And its future must never be surrendered for the convenience of the present.

Let’s stand united to defend our territory and fight for our rights.