'I don't work for US, China; I work for Phl'

Emphasizing his administration's adherence to rules-based order, President Marcos told Lithuanian Prime Minister Ingrida Šimonyte of the challenges the Philippines has to tackle, with help from other countries but without being subservient to any of them.

- HELEN FLORES, Sheila Crisostomo

"I don't work for Beijing, I don't work for Washington, I don't work for Moscow. I work for Manila. I work for the Philippines," President Marcos said in his brief talks with Šimonyte on the sidelines of the 21st Shangri-La Dialogue here.

Šimonyte, for her part, expressed her support for the Philippines' call for international rules-based order to maintain peace and security in the Indo-Pacific region.

The Philippines and China are at odds over the West Philippine Sea (WPS), while Lithuania has the same with Russia.

"Over a hundred of years that we have been in contact in informal trade that has been going on. It's still not balanced...all we want really, is the promotion of peace and the national interest," Marcos told Šimonyte.