PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s worst assertion in his recent State of the Nation Address was that the 'West Philippines Sea is not fictional' (kathang-isip). He melodramatically, but in a jingoistic manner, claimed: 'This is ours, and it will remain ours until our love for the Philippines is aflame.' Marcos is so blatantly wrong.

'WPS' is fiction, and I will stop writing forever if anybody can prove I am wrong. Worse, Marcos is maliciously tapping on Filipinos' nationalist sentiments against another nation and ensuring US support to buttress his failing presidency. Emotional sentiments against other countries are not easy to reverse, making it extremely difficult for our country to resolve our territorial maritime disputes with China and Vietnam in the South China Sea.