DEPUTY Speaker and Batangas Representative Ralph Recto said President Marcos Jr deserves praise for standing up to Chinese bullying in our own backyard.

Recto said that summoning the Chinese ambassador to Malacanang “is a gutsy response to gunboat diplomacy.

The solon is referring to Marcos’ move to demand the presence of Beijing’s envoy so he can personally express his displeasure over the latest aggressive acts of Chinese vessels at Ayungin Shoal.

“To the world, the President’s move shone a spotlight on the correctness of our position, more powerful than the laser show that the Chinese boats put up to manifest their baseless claim,” he said.

The fact that many countries followed suit in condemning China showed that the “President used a non-confrontational tool that enlightens the civilized world better than lasers,” he said.

Recto added that Marcos Jr’s summoning the Chinese ambassador “was worth more than the reams of diplomatic protests that DFA has been regularly lodging against China.”

The latest, which denounces the recent “dangerous maneuvers” of the CCG in Ayungin Shoal, was the 75th “note verbale” against China filed under the Marcos administration.

Last year, a total of 195 notes verbales was filed by DFA with the Chinese embassy.

Jealous of the government’s re-embrace of America, Recto said the Philippines should brace for a “protracted war of nerves” with China.

“They will be throwing tantrums, like a jilted lover who has lost face. They probably felt that they’ve lost a concubine,” Recto said.

“Marami pang harassment na darating. Dapat paghandaan ito,” he said.

But Recto said “laser harassment” is not the basis for “running to Uncle Sam” to invoke the mutual defense treaty between the Philippines and the US.

“It is a disproportionate response that will escalate things unnecessarily,” he said.

“I put my faith in the President that he has more than enough in his toolkit to respond to Chinese aggression, without need to send an SOS to the Americans,” he said.