PH senators condemn China Daily's video depicting Filipinos as monkeys

The Philippines condemned as racist a video posted by the state-run China Daily depicting Filipinos as monkeys, saying on Friday (July 17, 2026) it had lodged a diplomatic protest with Beijing over the "offensive, distressing and unacceptable" imagery.

Manila has demanded the removal of the video, which it called "contemptible propaganda”, with the foreign ministry saying that "disagreement over legal and political issues does not justify resorting to imagery that has no place in the public discourse of responsible states."

The AI-generated video on the China Daily's Facebook account shows a monkey dressed in Filipino attire being directed on what to sing by arms representing the U.S. and Japan. After being called "stupid," the monkey grabs a sheet of lyrics bearing the words "South China Sea arbitration award" before being thrown into the sea and blasted by a vessel's water cannon.

China's foreign ministry said on Friday the video did not represent China officially and that it had no comment on it.

The video was posted on July 10, coinciding with Philippine events marking the 10th anniversary of a landmark arbitral ruling that invalidated China's sweeping claims in the South China Sea. Beijing rejects the ruling.

'DEMEANING AND HARMFUL'

Senate President Win Gatchalian, In a statement, “Freedom of expression, even in political disputes, is not a license to dehumanize people. Racism has no space in any society that values truth and civility.”

“Disagreements between nations should sharpen our reasoning, not our prejudices. We call on all sides to be more circumspect, and to choose dialogue over derision,” he said.

Gatchalian also underscored the responsibility of media organizations to uphold truth and civility, saying the dignity of Filipinos should never be undermined.

“Kinukundena natin ang pang-aabuso at pangungutya sa dignidad ng mga Pilipino. Malaki ang responsibilidad ng media sa paghubog ng pananaw ng mga bansa sa isa’t isa, at hindi ito dapat gamitin sa maling paraan,” he added.

Senator Francis "Kiko" Pangilinan likewise denounced the video, describing it as blatantly racist and unacceptable, particularly because it came from a state-run media organization.

Pangilinan said the publication was especially disappointing because China itself has experienced discrimination against its people in other parts of the world.

He called on the Chinese government to order the immediate removal of the video, issue a public apology, and hold those responsible accountable.

"The true measure of global leadership is founded on dignity, respect, and accountability—not on spreading racist stereotypes disguised as information or commentary," Pangilinan said.

Senator Robinhood Padilla also backed the Department of Foreign Affairs' (DFA) condemnation of the AI-generated content, stressing that political disagreements should never become an excuse for racism or attacks on the dignity of any nation.

Padilla reiterated that while the Philippines should continue pursuing peaceful engagement and dialogue with China, the country's sovereignty and the dignity of the Filipino people are non-negotiable.

He also affirmed that the Philippines can continue defending its lawful rights in the West Philippine Sea while pursuing diplomacy and regional stability.

For his part, Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel "Migz" Zubiri condemned what he described as a racist video that also glorified violence against Filipinos.

“China has crossed the line, but we will take the high road and refuse to answer such provocation with the same contempt,” Zubiri said.

He emphasized that disputes over the West Philippine Sea should be resolved through international law, evidence, and diplomacy—not through intimidation or propaganda.

RACISM AND THREATS

Meanwhile, Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro said in a statement, "The recent spate of schizophrenic behaviour of the Chinese Communist Party is too clear to disregard or to ignore. This latest act of dehumanization further reveals them as neither a secure and confident actor nor a trustworthy neighbor."

He said it exposed “the weakness of a government that resorts to racism, threats, and manufactured hatred because it has utterly failed to defend its ridiculous claims through reason, evidence, or law."

Manila’s sharp rebukes come at a time when relations between the Philippines and China are already strained by South China Sea tensions, including repeated confrontations at sea, aggressive manoeuvres by Chinese vessels, Beijing imposing sanctions on Teodoro, and more recently over a floating barrier installed by China at the entrance of the hotly contested Scarborough Shoal that was later removed after Philippine protests.

Chinese defence ministry spokesperson Jiang Bin said on Friday that the 2016 arbitral ruling was a "political farce masqueraded as a legal process, and the so-called award carries no legal force in any sense."

-Paraluman News with a reporting by Karen Lema and Nestor Corrales; Additional reporting by Beijing newsroom Editing by Stephen Coates and John Mair/Reuters