President Marcos has renewed the Philippines' commitment to a rules-based international order amid ongoing tensions in the West Philippine Sea between the Philippines and China. He made the statement in a Facebook post following the annual vin d’honneur at Malacañang. Meanwhile, the Philippine Coast Guard reported harassment by Chinese vessels of a Filipino fishing boat near Panatag Shoal.
On January 18, 2026, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. posted on Facebook to reaffirm the Philippines' dedication to dialogue, cooperation, and a rules-based international order, especially as the country takes on the ASEAN chairmanship. “As the Philippines assumes the ASEAN chairship, we remain committed to dialogue, cooperation and a rules-based international order. Here’s to stronger ties and lasting friendships among our nations,” Marcos stated. This came a day after the annual vin d’honneur at Malacañang, an official reception attended by foreign envoys, government officials, lawmakers, judiciary members, and business leaders to mark the New Year and the anniversary of Philippine independence.
At the event, Marcos thanked the diplomatic community for their partnerships and expressed confidence in the work ahead. However, the statement occurs against the backdrop of recent incidents in the West Philippine Sea. On January 12, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) reported the first harassment of the year, where a People’s Liberation Army Navy vessel and a China Coast Guard ship approached the fishing boat FFB Prince LJ near Panatag Shoal, about 124 nautical miles off Zambales, within the Philippines' 200-nautical-mile exclusive economic zone. The Chinese vessels blared sirens and blocked the boat's path around noon, prompting the PCG multirole response vessel BRP Cape San Agustin to intervene after 3:59 p.m.
“The Philippine Coast Guard remains steadfast in defending the safety and maritime rights of our fishermen, in full accordance with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and the 2016 Arbitral Award,” said PCG Commandant Admiral Ronnie Gil Gavan.
Additionally, the Chinese embassy filed a diplomatic protest against PCG spokesman Commodore Jay Tarriela over his social media post featuring caricatures of Chinese President Xi Jinping with the text “Why China remains to be a bully?” Tarriela responded that he has no reason to apologize, as he did not mention any name. “Why would I apologize over the caricature? Is that really their issue? I didn’t even mention that it was President Xi Jinping – they were the ones who named him,” he said in Filipino. He expressed confusion over the basis of the embassy's complaint.
