By Kenneth Christiane L. Basilio and Adrian H. Halili, Reporters

THE PHILIPPINES is not ruling out possible Chinese island-building activity at Scarborough Shoal, Manila’s Defense Secretary Gilberto C. Teodoro, Jr. said on Thursday, as tensions escalate between the two nations over the contested South China Sea.

Mr. Teodoro said China’s repeated reference to Scarborough as Huangyan Island may be a strategic narrative aimed to justify future island-building, as he urged stronger deterrence against such moves.

“Why are they calling that an island when it’s a shoal?” He told reporters in Filipino on the sidelines of a business forum. “That’s why I’m no longer holding back. We need to intensify our deterrence efforts with our allies and ramp up our legal initiatives against them.”

The Chinese Embassy in Manila did not immediately reply to a Viber message seeking comment.

The Philippines’ top Defense official’s remark was the latest rebuke by the Southeast Asian nation against Beijing’s sweeping claims in the South China Sea, where overlapping assertions have fueled repeated maritime run-ins and heightened regional tensions.

China has already built manmade islands on some submerged features in the strategic waterway, outfitting them with runways, hangars, radar systems and ports that could bolster its naval presence in the energy-rich waters.

Scarborough Shoal, a vast fishing lagoon near key shipping lanes, lies within the Philippines’ 200-nautical mile exclusive economic zone and was seized by China in 2012 following a standoff with Philippine forces.

The strategic waterway has become a regional flashpoint as Beijing asserts sovereignty over nearly the entire South China Sea, defying a 2016 ruling by the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague that invalidated its sweeping claims.

While the United Nations-backed tribunal struck down China’s expansive “nine-dash line” claim, it did not rule on Scarborough’s sovereignty, saying the area was a traditional fishing patch.

“The arbitral award already declared that Scarborough Shoal is an artisanal fishing ground for Vietnam, the Philippines and China,” Mr. Teodoro said in Filipino. “No single country can claim it totally.”

“We need to think of ways to rally the world as our ally to stop this,” he added.

Scarborough, known in the Philippines as Panatag, was at the center of renewed tensions last week after a Philippine surveillance mission spotted buoys placed within the atoll, possibly indicating activity by China.

In September, China approved the creation of a 3,500-hectare nature reserve at the northeast rim of the shoal, which it said is intended to preserve the ecological diversity of one of the most contested areas in the strategic waterway.

The disputed atoll lies about 222 kilometers west of Luzon Island and is nearly 900 kilometers away from Hainan, the nearest major Chinese landmass.

Also on Thursday, President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. pledged to bolster the Philippine Coast Guard’s (PCG) capabilities through continued investments in vessels, aircraft and training facilities, as the service marked its 124^th founding anniversary amid heightened tensions in the South China Sea.

Speaking at the PCG headquarters in Manila, Mr. Marcos lauded the agency’s role as “guardians of safety and stability,” crediting its personnel for their work in disaster response, coastal protection and maritime security.

“In these times when our seas face greater challenges, you remain steadfast, proving that courage knows no tides and that service knows no bounds,” Mr. Marcos said. “And in return, I assure you that this government is solidly behind you.” 

The President said the government would continue expanding the Coast Guard’s infrastructure, including the construction of the PCG General Hospital, the Maritime Law Enforcement Training Center in Misibis and a First Responder and Nursing Service Facility.

From January to September, the PCG facilitated the safe passage of nearly 10 million passengers and confiscated close to P2 billion worth of illegal drugs and smuggled goods.

The agency also delivered relief assistance to earthquake-stricken communities in Cebu earlier this month and continues to support fisherfolk operating in disputed waters.

Mr. Marcos acknowledged the risks faced by local fishermen in the South China Sea and praised the Coast Guard for providing a sense of security amid regional tensions.

He also underscored the importance of rebuilding public trust in government institutions, saying that the Coast Guard’s consistent service exemplifies discipline and integrity in governance.   

“Our people’s trust in government has been shaken,” he said. “But I am certain that trust can be regained if we remain transparent and true to our mission.”

2026 PHL-SG ARMY DRILLS
Meanwhile, the Philippine and Singaporean armies concluded talks to plan next year’s joint military activities, including interoperability drills, as both Southeast Asian nations seek to bolster defense ties amid growing Chinese assertiveness in the South China Sea.

In a statement on Thursday, the Philippine Army (PA) said it finalized next year’s joint exercises with the Singapore Army, which is expected to bring together military planners, staff officers and defense attaches for interoperability drills and expert exchanges.

“The 11^th Philippines-Singapore Army Working Group Meeting reinforces PA’s commitment to peaceful relations with key ASEAN partners and like-minded nations to ensure regional security and cooperation,” it said, referring to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

The Philippine Army said it aims to deepen defense ties with Singapore, which has one of the better-equipped military in Southeast Asia, following the signing of a cooperation pact between Manila’s Defense department and the city-state’s Defense ministry.

This forms part of Manila’s efforts to expanding its network of defense and diplomatic alliances beyond the United States, which a majority of Filipinos deem as the Philippines’ most capable ally.

In a September poll, commissioned by the We Protect Our Seas (WPS) Foundation, it was found that 69% of Filipinos see the US as the most capable in supporting the Philippines address Chinese coercion and aggression in the South China Sea.

“These findings reaffirm the enduring depth of the Philippine-US alliance and the continued confidence of Filipinos in America’s capacity to help preserve peace and stability in the West Philippine Sea,” said Jeffrey Ordaniel, president and chief executive officer of the WPS Foundation.

The survey firm interviewed 1,200 Filipinos on Sept. 15-21 for the poll, which had a ±3% error margin.

Trust in Washington as a security ally was consistent across all major island groups, with the highest seen in Metro Manila at 82%, followed by Luzon (81%), the Visayas (77%) and Mindanao (65%).

Manila and Washington are treaty allies under the 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty, which obligates both nations to come to each other’s aid in the event of an armed attack in the Pacific, including the South China Sea.

Outside the US, 12% of Filipinos deemed Japan as the most capable nation to support Manila against Chinese aggression. This was followed by the United Kingdom (4%), Australia (3%), Canada (3%), and South Korea (1%).

“Equally notable is the consistent second-place ranking of Japan, highlighting the enduring trust in Tokyo’s constructive regional role,” Mr. Ordaniel added.

“Most Filipinos prefer the US as an ally for the Philippines given the significant political-security and economic benefits Washington has given the Philippines,” Josue Raphael J. Cortez, a diplomacy instructor at De La Salle–College of Saint Benilde, said in a Facebook Messenger chat.

He added that the Manila and Washington’s alliance bolsters their security cooperation, allowing for the US to aid the Philippines once conflict occurs.

“This widely known truth is something that the Filipino people highly considers, as it is also in their best interest to ensure that we continue aligning with the superpower that does not merely respect our rights as a nation, but also affirms its commitment to uphold our very principles,” Mr. Cortez said.

Chester B. Cabalza, founding president of the think tank International Development and Security Cooperation said that the 1951 treaty gives the Philippines preferential treatment.

“Given circumstance that Manila inked one of the longest defense treaties in the world with Washington through the Mutual Defense Treaty, it gives us the preferential treatment to be protected under the US defense umbrella that why Filipinos value long-lasting friendship with the US and regard the superpower as the most capable country to support the Philippines,” he said in a Messenger chat.

Hansley A. Juliano, a political science lecturer at the Ateneo de Manila University, said that Washington’s investment to the county have provided good will to the Filipinos.

“A bulk of it was spent on supporting internal security operations and anti-terrorist aggression, but the shift in direction towards external security under the Aquino and Marcos administrations meant it makes more perfect sense,” he said in a Facebook Messenger chat.

He added that America’s investments paved the way for the Philippines’ multilateral approach by cooperating with Japan, South Korea, Australia, and New Zealand. — with Chloe Mari A. Hufana