Faisal Mahmud
26 September 2026•Update: 26 September 2026
The Philippines called for an immediate and sustained ceasefire in Gaza and said disputes in the South China Sea must be resolved through international law rather than force, Foreign Secretary Ma. Theresa P. Lazaro told the 81st UN General Assembly.
Lazaro called for the protection of civilians, the release of all hostages and full compliance with international law, including international humanitarian law.
She reaffirmed Manila’s support for the Palestinian people’s “inalienable right” to self-determination.
“We firmly believe that the two-state solution remains the only viable path to lasting and durable peace, with Israel and Palestine living side by side in peace and security,” she said.
Turning to maritime security, Lazaro said open and secure seas, “free from interference and coercion,” were vital to the Philippines’ security and economy as well as global commerce.
She described the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) as the “Constitution of the Oceans” and highlighted that a decade had passed since the 2016 South China Sea arbitral award, which she called “final and legally binding.”
“The Philippines stands firm in its conviction that disputes must be resolved through diplomacy and law, not violence and might,” Lazaro said.
The Philippines and China have overlapping claims in the disputed South China Sea, while Beijing has rejected the 2016 arbitral ruling.
Lazaro also called for stronger global governance of artificial intelligence, warning that without “robust governance, enforceable ethical standards, and strong legal guardrails,” AI could deepen inequality and pose systemic risks.
On climate change, Lazaro said storms and monsoons had affected more than 2.7 million Filipino families since August, urging implementation of the Paris Agreement and the full operationalization of the fund for responding to loss and damage.
She also highlighted threats facing seafarers, saying Filipinos comprise more than 25% of the nearly 2 million seafarers supporting global commerce.
Lazaro called for UN Security Council reform to make it more representative, transparent and accountable, with greater representation for developing regions.
She also voiced what she described as a “historic aspiration” for the UN to appoint a woman secretary-general.
