“We welcome the multilateral call of the six Asean member-nations for a peaceful resolution. We all have a stake in the peace and stability in the region. That has been our country’s call and approach to this dispute in the West Philippine Sea,” Presidential Spokesman Edwin Lacierda said.
Lacierda made the statement in response to the consensus arrived at by Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Laos and Singapore at the 21st Meeting of States Parties to the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea last week at the UN headquarters in New York.
In an interview with reporters covering President Aquino’s activities in Calamba City, Laguna, for the commemoration of the 150th birth anniversary of national hero Dr. Jose Rizal, the Armed Forces chief of staff, Gen. Eduardo Oban Jr., said the national leadership has committed to support much-needed upgrades in the military’s capability.
When asked, Oban said the Armed Forces needs a substantial amount to enhance its capabilities in territorial defense, as the focus of the previous administration was on internal
defense.
“Right now we are slowly developing these [territorial defense] capabilities,” he said.
He clarified that “for now, still the focus is internal security pertaining to the IPSP [Internal Peace and Security Plan] Bayanihan but we can have parallel moves towards that end.”
On the P40-billion budget for military modernization over a five-year period, Oban said this amount “is just for really immediate requirements.”
Binay: Govt must protect PHL interests in Spratlys
VICE President Jejomar Binay remains optimistic that the issue involving the Spratly Islands will not strain relations between Philippines and China, but stressed that the Philippine government must protect the country’s interests.
“Hindi naman dapat maging cause ng conflict ang Spratlys, pero hindi rin naman dapat tayo magpabaya sa ginagawa ng China,” Binay said in an interview upon his arrival from the United States for a two-week educational program on housing finance.
The Navy recently dispatched its biggest boat to patrol the territorial waters around Scarborough Shoal in the West Philippine Sea.
The 65-year-old BRP Rajah Humabon was deployed after China sent its largest maritime patrol ship which is reportedly passing the disputed areas of the Paracels and the Spratly island groups.
Binay said the Philippine government’s decision to send Humabon was only to protect the interest of the country. However, he noted that the Spratlys issue could be settled in a peaceful manner.
Earlier, vice chairman Jiang Shusheng of the Standing Committee of the 11th National People’s Congress of the People’s Republic of China expressed support to Mr. Aquino’s call to settle the issue diplomatically.
During a courtesy visit at the Office of the Vice President, Jiang said the Philippines and China should maintain a “friendly atmosphere” in handling the situation, keeping in mind the relationship between the two countries.
Asked if Filipino and Fil-Am communities in the US are alarmed over the tension in the Spratlys, Binay said they are more concerned about the passage of the Save Our Industries Act in the US Congress.
The Act will allow the duty-free export into the US of apparel products made in the Philippines from US fabrics and is seen to revive the $2-billion clothing industry that employed at least 600,000 Filipino workers.
