President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. during his fifth State of the Nation Address on July 27, 2026. Screenshot from RTVM live
MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., in his fifth State of the Nation Address (Sona) described Filipinos as a “noble, kind, gracious and great race” that “do not yield” as he reiterated his administration’s commitment to continue upholding the 2016 Arbitral Award.
The pronouncement appeared to allude to China’s recent racist remarks, through state-run media China Daily, where it depicted Filipinos as monkeys.
“Let me remind our friends and our detractors: Filipinos are a noble, kind, gracious, and great race. We are not greedy. We are not racists. We are not liars,” said Marcos during his 5th Sona.
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