In bid for UN Security Council, Philippines vows to uphold rule of law
MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. continued the Philippines’ bid for a non-permanent seat at the United Nations (UN) Security Council, vowing to prioritize international rule of law.
The Philippines has long campaigned for a seat at the UN Security Council, with the bid spanning several years. If elected, the country will serve as a council member for two years.
At the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) - UN Summit in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Marcos continued this bid, addressing other regional leaders as well as United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres.
“If elected, the Philippines will continue to uphold the primacy of the rule of law and the peaceful settlement of disputes in the maintenance of international peace and security. For the true measure of our partnership lies not only in words, but in the progress we secure for our peoples,” Marcos said at the summit.
“For the true measure of our partnership lies not only in words, but in the progress we secure for our peoples,” he added.
The president thanked other ASEAN countries for supporting the Philippines’ campaign for a Security Council seat.
The Philippines’ bid comes amid tensions in the country’s sovereign waters. China has continuously encroached upon the West Philippine Sea despite the 2016 ruling from the Permanent Court of Arbitration invalidating its claims.
Earlier in the summit, Marcos criticized attempts by certain actors to turn Scarborough Shoal into a nature reserve. While he did not name a country, China is the only one to have declared plans to create a nature reserve in the disputed waters.
How the UN Security Council works
The Security Council is tasked with maintaining international peace. It has 15 seats: three for African countries, three for Asia-Pacific, two for Eastern Europe, two for Latin America and the Caribbean and five for Western Europe.
Among these, China, Russia, France, the United Kingdom, and the United States hold permanent seats.
China permanently occupies one of the three seats set for Asia-Pacific.
The Philippines is competing against Kyrgyzstan for one seat, with the election scheduled in 2026 at the UN.
If elected, the Philippines will gain the power to vote on UN Security Council resolutions, though it will not have veto powers.
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