Philippines’ nuclear advocacy faces reality check after statement recall

But the statement was removed from the Presidential Communications Office website shortly after publication, without any further explanation.

The move has sparked speculation about whether the Philippines is reluctant – or simply unable – to act as a middleman in the global push for nuclear disarmament.

“They’re not really countries we have strong bilateral ties with, so I’m not really sure what the Marcos Jnr administration could do to get them to sign and ratify the treaty,” said Vincent Kyle Parada, a former defence analyst for the Philippine Navy and now a graduate student at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS).

Parada’s concerns reflect a broader tension: while the Philippines has long championed the moral cause of nuclear disarmament, its capacity to influence other nations remains limited.