Coming short of naming the President, economist Solita

“Winnie” Monsod lamented that the Philippines’ problem is “lousy leadership,” as she warned that a controversial Marcos administration arrangement with China could have surrendered Philippine wealth and sovereign rights in the West Philippine Sea.

“If that arrangement has given away part of the wealth of the Filipinos to the Chinese, I will never forgive this administration,” Monsod said in an interview on DAILY TRIBUNE’s Straight Talk. “They’ve stolen our rights,” she added.

Monsod was reacting to concerns raised by retired Supreme Court Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio over the Department of Foreign Affairs’ “provisional understanding” with China covering resupply missions to the BRP Sierra Madre at Ayungin Shoal.

Carpio has warned that expanding the arrangement beyond Ayungin, including to Pag-asa Island, could weaken Philippine sovereign rights recognized under the 2016 Arbitral Award.

Monsod, a former chief of the National Economic and Development Authority, said she had no personal knowledge of alleged corruption surrounding the arrangement but trusted Carpio’s assessment.

Bet on it

“Apparently there is corruption involved in this provisional arrangement,” she said. “If Tony Carpio says there’s something wrong with that arrangement, then you can put a hundred million pesos on it, that there is something wrong with that arrangement.”

Carpio has said the arrangement could require the Philippines to provide China prior notice, conduct consultations and allow cargo inspections during resupply missions.

He has argued that such conditions could conflict with the 2016 ruling, which affirmed Philippine sovereign rights in its Exclusive Economic Zone.

Monsod said China was gradually eroding Philippine interests in the WPS while pursuing a long-term strategy.

“They’re scraping away at all our interests in the West Philippine Sea because they have a vision and we don’t have a vision,” she said.

She added that the country’s problems were not caused by a lack of resources or money.

“What is wrong with the Philippines? Not that it has no resources, not that it has no money,” Monsod said. Asked for the main problem, she replied: “Lousy leadership.”

DFA response

The DFA has defended the provisional understanding, saying it has enabled 15 incident-free rotation and resupply missions since July 2024. It has also maintained that the arrangement does not require Chinese permission or allow the boarding and inspection of Philippine vessels.

Monsod, however, said the Philippines could not rely solely on the United States for its security.

“We have to take care of ourselves,” she said. “You cannot depend on what the United States does anymore.”