(Radio Free Asia) In his first speech before the joint houses of Congress, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. promised on Monday to protect the Philippines’ territorial integrity from China, while also asking lawmakers to back programs for boosting an economy ravaged by COVID-19 lockdowns.
The new Philippine president delivered his more than hour-long State of the Nation Address mostly in English, unlike his immediate predecessor who usually addressed lawmakers in Tagalog.
“I do not intend to diminish the risks and challenges that we face in this turbulent time in global history, and yet, I see sunlight filtering through these dark clouds,” Marcos said. “The state of the nation is sound.”
As he discussed China’s renewed encroachment into Philippine-claimed waters in the South China Sea, Marcos did not mention Beijing by name but declared he would protect his country’s territorial integrity.
“We live in difficult times brought about by some forces of our own making, but certainly, also by forces that are beyond our control,” Marcos said in the nationally televised address. “But we have, and we will continue to find solutions… Read More
