Marcos Jr. reaffirms 'friend to all' foreign policy

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. reaffirmed the Philippines' foreign policy of being a "friend to all" and an "enemy to none" during his fourth State of the Nation Address.

He stated that the Philippines now enjoys higher esteem in the international community and has gained more allies in upholding its interests.

This foreign policy will be the central theme when the Philippines hosts the ASEAN Summit and Related Summits next year.

Marcos stressed that while defending the Philippines' rights and territories will be heightened in the face of new threats, the government will remain patient, quoting, "Sa harap ng mga bagong banta sa ating kapayapaan at soberanya, mas maigting ngayon ang ating paghahanda, pagmamatyag, at pagtatanggol sa ating sarili."

He added, "Gayunpaman, tayo pa rin ay nagtitimpi at nananatiling mapagpasensya, lalo na sa pagtanod sa ating buong kapuluan at sa pangangalaga sa ating interes."

In a related development, Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. reiterated that the administration has made a "major shift" in defense policy, focusing more on external and territorial defense, and that they would be unyielding against Chinese aggression in the West Philippine Sea.