MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines has filed 47 diplomatic protests against China so far in 2025 over its escalating hostilities in the South China Sea, Foreign Affairs Secretary Theresa Lazaro told senators on Tuesday, October 14.
During Senate committee deliberations on the Department of Foreign Affairs’ (DFA) proposed 2026 budget, Lazaro said the latest diplomatic protest will be lodged over the use of water cannons and ramming of Philippine vessels near Pag-asa Island on October 12. This would bring the total to 48.
“It’s 47 for 2025. It's a total of 245 since 2022,” Lazaro said. "For 2025, the latest one was just today."
The DFA routinely sends diplomatic protests to the China Embassy in Manila through a note verbale or a formal written communication after incidents of aggression by Chinese coast guard or militia vessels in the West Philippine Sea — the part of the South China Sea within the Philippines' exclusive economic zone.
“The security agencies give us the information and all the details, and that is the basis of our protest that we give to the Chinese embassy,” Lazaro explained.
Asked by Sen. Imee Marcos about the "practical" benefit of such protests, Lazaro said these may not be felt "now" but "on a later situation."
“Like all Filipinos, we are frustrated that the note verbale seems to have no effect,” Marcos told the DFA chief while asking what concrete steps the Philippines could take to push back against China’s escalating actions.
“We have been discussing this issue lengthily with the security agencies and there are other proposals, but probably I can give it to you in a confidential manner,” the DFA secretary said.
With Chinese vessels' continued harassment of Philippine ships, Lazaro said the DFA continues to engage China through multiple channels, including a bilateral consultative mechanism and foreign ministry consultations that are held regularly to manage disputes.
“The Bilateral Consultative Mechanism on the South China Sea is supposed to meet twice a year. We held the first this year in Xiamen, which I attended myself,” she said. “We’re looking at the next one soon.”
On October 12, three BFAR vessels were anchored in the territorial waters of Pag-asa Island to protect Filipino fishermen when they "faced dangerous and provocative maneuvers" from China Coast Guard and suspeced militia vessels, according to the Philippine Coast Guard.
Another incident took place the next day, October 13, near Scarborough and Escoda Shoal, when Philippine ships again encountered "dangerous maneuvers and blocking actions" by Chinese ships.