President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Friday exhorted the Armed Forces of the Philippines, or AFP, to be “ready to defend the archipelago from emerging threats.”
Speaking to recently promoted generals and flag officers of the AFP in Malacañang, Marcos lamented the need for more effort to strengthen the nation’s internal security stance.
“We must be ready. Our armed forces must be capable of securing and defending the archipelago from emerging threats. I urge you (to enhance joint planning and operations further) to ensure interoperability across all the AFP,” he said.
The President made the statement in response to the continuing Chinese aggression in the West Philippine Sea, particularly the bumping by its coast guard and maritime militia vessels into Philippine boats this week.
The Department of Foreign Affairs said the Philippines had lodged another diplomatic protest with China on Monday following the “dangerous maneuvers” of its ships.
“We are always hopeful that China will act as a responsible member of the international community and that it will respect our sovereignty and our sovereign rights,” DFA spokesperson Teresita Daza said in a press conference.
The DFA said it intends to utilize all available diplomatic processes to their maximum extent.
