Claim: The Philippines is a sovereign state.
Evidence: The Philippines -LRB- -LSB- ˈfɪlᵻpiːnz -RSB- Pilipinas -LSB- ˌpɪlɪˈpinɐs -RSB- -RRB- , officially the Republic of the Philippines -LRB- -LSB- Republika ng Pilipinas , links = no -RSB- -RRB- , is a sovereign island country in Southeast Asia situated in the western Pacific Ocean.