Camille Naredo

Fisherfolk on small bancas join volunteers from the Atin Ito Coalition and members of the media as they prepare to depart from Matalbis Port in Masinloc, Zambales, for the second civilian resupply mission to the West Philippine Sea on May 16, 2024. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News/File

Fisherfolk on small bancas join volunteers from the Atin Ito Coalition and members of the media as they prepare to depart from Matalbis Port in Masinloc, Zambales, for the second civilian resupply mission to the West Philippine Sea on May 16, 2024. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News

Article (news)

West Philippine Sea 

Bianca Dava

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/175377542158320240515-atin-ito-wps-MT-44 (1).jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="Fisherfolk on small bancas join volunteers from the Atin Ito Coalition and members of the media as they prepare to depart from Matalbis Port in Masinloc, Zambales, for the second civilian resupply mission to the West Philippine Sea on May 16, 2024. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News/File"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Fisherfolk on small bancas join volunteers from the Atin Ito Coalition and members of the media as they prepare to depart from Matalbis Port in Masinloc, Zambales, for the second civilian resupply mission to the West Philippine Sea on May 16, 2024. <em>Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News/File</em></span></span></span></div><p>MANILA -- Military operations in the West Philippine Sea remain unchanged despite President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.&#x27;s noticeably softer language on the issue during his fourth State of the Nation Address (SONA), according to the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).</p><p>&quot;It will still be business as usual for us in the Armed Forces of the Philippines in terms of how we will be safeguarding our mandate of guarding our sovereignty,&quot; AFP spokesperson Colonel Francel Margareth Padilla said in a press briefing at Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City on Tuesday.</p><p>During his SONA on Monday, Marcos reaffirmed his administration&#x27;s commitment to a foreign independent policy, stating that the Philippines remains a &quot;friend to all and an enemy to none.&quot;</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/7/28/-friend-to-all-enemy-to-none-marcos-says-ph-foreign-policy-unchanged-1746">&#x27;Friend to all, enemy to none&#x27;: Marcos says PH foreign policy unchanged</a></div><p>The president also did not make any direct reference to the West Philippine Sea—a term he used prominently in previous addresses—throughout his speech, which lasted one hour and eleven minutes.</p><p>Despite this, Padilla emphasized that the military continues to operate under clear directives from the president.</p><p>&quot;Over and above that, prior to the SONA… Nag-conduct naman kami ng command conference and the guidance of the President is very clear for the Armed Forces of the Philippines,&quot; the official said, referring to the AFP&#x27;s midyear command conference held on July 17, where Marcos outlined his position on the West Philippine Sea issue.</p><p>&quot;Nonetheless, for the whole of the SONA, we take cue from the Department of National Defense, from our SND pronouncements, and we&#x27;ll be continuing to perform our mandate accordingly,&quot; she added.</p><p>Marcos&#x27; tone this year marks a contrast from his third SONA in 2024, where he delivered his most assertive statement yet, declaring that the West Philippine Sea &quot;is not merely a figment of our imagination&quot; and that &quot;it is ours.&quot;</p><p>&quot;Ang West Philippine Sea ay hindi kathang-isip natin lamang. Ito ay atin, at ito ay mananatiling atin hangga&#x27;t nag-aalab ang diwa ng ating minamahal na bansang Pilipinas,&quot; Marcos said in his SONA in 2024.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO</strong><strong>:</strong></div><div><strong><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/gC3b3euhe7E?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span></strong><br/></div>

<p>Military operations in the West Philippine Sea remain unchanged despite President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s noticeably softer language on the issue during his fourth State of the Nation Address, according to the AFP.</p>

Military operations in the West Philippine Sea remain unchanged despite President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s noticeably softer language on the issue during his fourth State of the Nation Address, according to the AFP.

'Business as usual' for AFP in West PH Sea despite Marcos' softer tone in 4th SONA

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'Business as usual' for AFP in West PH Sea despite Marcos' softer tone in 4th SONA

Bianca Dava,

ABS-CBN News

Published Jul 29, 2025 03:52 PM PHT

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Armed Forces of the Philippines

West Philippine Sea

State of the Nation Address

Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

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maritime conflict

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