A country, but not a nation

A WAR of words has broken out far from the depths of the West Philippine Sea as more than 200 Chinese fishing vessels swarm the reefs of Philippine territory and exclusive economic zone. Diplomatic protests have been continuously filed by the Department of Foreign Affairs against China as growing tensions and threats fly back and forth, putting at risk the precarious relationship between the two countries. For once, government leaders and the agencies of the Philippines are fighting back against the insolent acts of the Chinese government despite the odds against the insufficient power of the Philippine military army and coastal fleet. A handicapped battle between David and Goliath — as the giant continues to arrogantly disrespect the 2016 ruling by The Hague arbitral tribunal on the invalid claims of China on the reefs that it has intruded into in the Philippines. The Office of the President, often favoring China, surprisingly even made its strongest remarks that such territorial incursions can damage the ties of China and the Philippines, that “our sovereignty is non-negotiable.”

Yet despite such lustrous words from these different officials regarding the maritime territorial issues, why does it feel like we never even had true sovereignty to begin with? Do the Filipinos truly own the Philippines, or are we just forcing ourselves to believe in the implausibility that we’re fighting for a state that is essentially not there?