The Philippines needs to stand on its own feet after it failed to get assistance from other allies, such as the United States, when China built its artificial islands in West Philippine Sea, Malacanang said on Monday.

"We have the experience on what we call as collective security arrangements. Also included there is the Mutual Defense Treaty," said Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque in press briefing.

But despite a provision in the MDT that the United States would come into an aid to the Philippines once attacked, Roque said, "we lost two islands without the help of from the United States, which is a party to the Mutual Defense Treaty."

China built artificial islands in the South China Sea West Philippine Sea), including in Panganiban Reef or Mischief Reef that is within the Philippines exclusive economic zone.

"So that's a lesson for us, we need to stand on our own feet," Roque said.

The spokesman, however, noted the Philippine has been coordinating with other neighboring countries, such as the members of ASEAN, Australia, Japan, and India, to ensure freedom of navigation in the South China Sea.

"But in the end, we have to assert our national interest and that is being done by our President (Rodrigo Duterte)," he said.

Roque also defended Duterte's silence over the incursion of Chinese vessels in West Philippine Sea, particularly near the Julian Felipe Reef.

"Doctine of qualified agency. If the President is not disowning the statements of his alter egos, it's as if he's the one who made the statement, he does not need to speak," said Roque when asked why Duterte has been silent about the Chinese ships' incursion while Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana and Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin were the ones who kept on talking.

He also said that Duterte already made on record his statement against China's activities in the South China Sea when he delivered a speech before the United Nations General Assembly.

"He (Duterte) said that we will not give away any part of our territory, we believe the West Philippine Sea dispute should be resolved under UNCLOS (United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea) and that we standby the arbitration decision," he said.

The UN Arbitral Tribunal, following a petition by the Philippine government, invalidated China's sovereign and historic claim in almost the entire South China Sea in a decision it made in 2016.?Celerina Monte/DMS