The hottest controversy to hit the local media this week is the escalation of the conflict not between the Philippines and Chinese vessels over the Spratlys in the South China Sea, but between defense secretary Gilberto “Gibo” Teodoro and the Chinese Embassy in Manila, headed by Ambassador Jin Quan.
For a while, the people, much as they are by now desensitized by the farcical VP Sara impeachment trial, have been gifted by a respite in that Senate melodrama. But the “China bullying issue” being bandied about by Gibo Teodoro and Jay Tarriela refuses to die, and will refuse to die as long as the propaganda funds from the NED are flowing to the Atin Ito cabal.
So, where do we now stand?
After a decade of the purported 2016 win in the Arbitral Tribunal, we are exactly where we are ten years ago. We cannot enforce the ruling because at the outset, China made it clear that they reject participation in that arbitration. It was a waste of public money paid to lawyers of the Philippine side, funds which covered the travel and accommodations of Noynoy Aquino officials like Albert del Rosario, Florin Hilbay and Leila de Lima. A European trip this long and expensive has a name in English. It’s called a junket.
Despite the clueless Kris Aquino making a mountain out of an ant hill, saying Bongbong Marcos was correct in supporting the legacy gains of her brother Noynoy’s effort in the “West Philippine Sea,” a place not recognized by any international map or mapping agency.
Before his senatorial rights were rudely interrupted by trump up charges, Senator Marcoleta had fought for a clear official baseline delineation of this PHL claim on a WPS.
With praises from his relative Kris Cojuangco Aquino, DS Gibo Teodoro ramped up his tirades against China, calling this giant neighbor the region’s troublemaker, and twisting the essence of what the Ambassador said about Zhong Guo’s military might (which is true) and his country’s rigid commitment to a policy of peace in the region and all over the world.
Gibo Teodoro has just revealed his obstructionist nature.
The Chinese Embassy in Manila should be commended in issuing this short summary about China-PHL relations for the information of Gibo, Jay, Risa, Kiko, JV, Antonio, Raffy, Erwin, Leila, Chel, and many others.
PHL-China ties
As early as the 1980s, Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping put forward the initiative of "pursuing joint development while shelving disputes," which received a positive response from then Philippine President Corazon Aquino and Vice President Salvador Laurel.
In 2005, China, the Philippines and Vietnam signed the Tripartite Agreement for Joint Marine Seismic Undertaking in the Agreement Area in the South China Sea, agreeing to study and assess the oil resources in the agreement area.
In November 2017, the two sides signed the Joint Statement between the Government of the People's Republic of China and the Government of the Republic of the Philippines, stating that both sides may explore means to cooperate with each other in other possible maritime activities including maritime oil and gas exploration and exploitation.
In November 2018, the two sides signed the Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation on Oil and Gas Development between the Government of the People's Republic of China and the Government of the Republic of the Philippines, which was confirmed and welcomed in the Joint Statement between the People's Republic of China and the Republic of the Philippines issued the same day.
In January 2023, during President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.'s visit to China, the two sides issued a joint statement agreeing to bear in mind the spirit of the Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation on Oil and Gas Development signed in 2018, and to resume discussions on oil and gas development at an early date, building upon the outcomes of the previous talks. Since then, the foreign affairs departments of the two countries have continued consultations on joint oil and gas development through the Bilateral Consultation Mechanism (BCM) on the South China Sea Issue and made positive progress.
In March 2026, the two sides held the 11th BCM meeting. The Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs issued a statement saying, "Both sides continued to make progress on initial exchanges on potential oil and gas cooperation." In August, President Marcos said in an interview with reporters, "We're working through and making progress. I can see a distinct possibility that there will be such joint exploration."
However, there has always been a force in the Philippines attempting to sabotage China-Philippines joint oil and gas development. Philippine Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro, out of personal political self-interest, has publicly questioned and obstructed China-Philippines joint oil and gas development. In July 2026, Teodoro said, "joint exploration is normally just a way for China to gain access here. Temporary benefits cannot replace the long-term interests of the Philippines."Today Teodoro said in another interview, “there is no basis for a joint exploration talk with China”.
Without the deliberate obstruction by people like Teodoro, China-Philippines joint oil and gas development might have already produced results, and the Filipino people may have already benefited from it.
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