The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) has issued 39 diplomatic protests against China over its activities in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) so far this year, bringing the total number of protests filed under the current administration to nearly 300.
DFA Deputy Assistant Secretary for Maritime Affairs Rogelio Villanueva Jr. presented the figures on Thursday during the agency’s budget deliberation before the House of Representatives.
“From 2026 this year, we have already issued 39 protests. And from 2022 to 2026, the total number of diplomatic protests that we have issued stands at 296 already,” Villanueva told lawmakers.
Foreign Affairs Secretary Theresa Lazaro noted during the hearing that while China maintains a presence in the area, the intensity of hostile actions on the water has shown signs of easing compared to previous years.
“The only change that I can cite right now is that the incidents that have happened in the past, the water cannoning, the laser, I think it has sort of decreased, and therefore these are the significant changes,” Secretary Lazaro said.
She added, however, that Philippine defense and security establishments continue to monitor and report the presence of Chinese military vessels in the disputed waters.
Earlier in the week, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) reported that 56 Chinese vessels were tracked around various West Philippine Sea features during the month of August 2026.
Addressing inquiries regarding the impact of these formal protests, Villanueva explained that diplomacy operates in tandem with national defense and security mechanisms, requiring steady coordination through a whole-of-government approach.
The DFA maintains close coordination with security forces and the National Maritime Council to align the country’s diplomatic moves with conditions on the ground.
“We have to understand also that results on the ground may take time because while diplomacy is the bigger tool in the government’s toolbox, we have to work in tandem with other government agencies, particularly our security agencies, our National Maritime Council, because this is a whole-of-government effort,” Villanueva said.
“So all these things will factor in. This is not to say that we expect to see immediate results because we have to be patient. We have to take time,” he concluded.