President Marcos Visits the United Nations In A Bid For A Non-Permanent Security Council Seat

President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. appealed for the Philippines to be elected as a non-member of the United Nations (UN) Security Council for 2027 to 2028 during his working visit to the UN from March 9 to 10. President Marcos highlighted the Philippines’ commitment to the UN as a founding member, and presented the country as “the voice of developing countries, the voice of climate vulnerable nations, and the voice of middle-income countries facing competing challenges and priorities.”

A non-permanent UNSC seat has historically been viewed as an opportunity for the 188 other UN Member-States (excluding those in the permanent council) to be part of the UN’s highest-level decision-making process, where they can advance interests that the five permanent members might not necessarily advocate for. To the Philippines, a non-permanent UNSC seat will likely mean that the country may be able to amplify its positions and concerns on geopolitical issues, such as China’s continued disregard of the 2016 arbitral ruling on the South China Sea and its sustained aggression in the West Philippine Sea.

PSA notes that the Philippines has generally enjoyed positive relations with the UN. While former president Rodrigo Duterte threatened to leave the organization in 2016 following the organization’s criticism of his drug war, the current administration of President Marcos has maintained relatively friendlier relations with the broader international community. Whether this effort with the UN will be sustained in the next administration remains to be seen, as shifting policy stances of different Philippine presidents remain a challenge for building consistent relations with the international community.