Senators on Wednesday called on Filipinos to unite against a common adversary, particularly in the country’s maritime conflict with China in the West Philippine Sea.

Opposition Senator Risa Hontiveros said Filipinos should come together and bravely stand up to protect the national interest from external threats.

“My kababayan, our freedom is being tested. Today, on Independence Day, I urge everyone to come together and bravely stand up to protect our national interest,” Hontiveros said in a statement.

“China’s interference in the West Philippine Sea continues. Harassment against our fishermen, Coast Guard and Navy is relentless. They risk their safety and lives every time they sail, even though they should be able to navigate our waters peacefully,” she said.

Hontiveros noted that Filipinos must “continue to fight for our rights to our territory and resist all attempts to seize it from us, including all the natural resources within it.”

Likewise, she said the Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators, or POGOs, are a threat to national security, stressing that they pave the way for various crimes committed by foreigners.

“POGOs should be banned in the Philippines. We must continue to combat the forces that seek to hinder our progress. No one else will stand up for these issues but us Filipinos,” she said.

Senator Grace Poe echoed the same sentiments, emphasizing that the country’s independence “has never been challenged the way it is being tested now.”