Marcos SONA: 'The West Philippine Sea is Ours and Will Remain Ours'

In his State of the Nation Address on July 22, 2024, President Marcos received a standing ovation from Congress when he declared: 'The Philippines cannot yield. The Philippines cannot waver. The West Philippine Sea is ours and will remain ours.' The speech came weeks after the June 17 boarding incident and signaled that the Philippines would not retreat from its assertive stance. Marcos also announced further defense spending increases and deeper alliance cooperation.