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Friday, March 29, 2024

PH placates China: Pagasa visit part of normal routine

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DEFENSE officials stood their ground Sunday after China protested a recent trip by top military brass to Pagasa Island, describing it as a routine visit to any of the country’s controlled territories.

On Saturday, Beijing expressed “grave concern” and dissatisfaction over the visit by Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana and Armed Forces chief Gen. Eduardo Año to Pagasa Island in the South China Sea, where China has overlapping claims.

But Año said the visit to Pagasa on Friday was part of the military’s normal visitation process.

“There is nothing wrong with our visit. It’s part of my job,” Año said.

Lorenzana, Año and journalists landed on Pagasa Island early morning Friday despite a series of challenges from the Chinese coast guard.

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“We never landed on any island except ours, where troops are stationed. Pagasa is a municipality of Palawan,” Año said.

The general said it was the job of the Department of Foreign Affairs to respond to the Chinese protest.

“As far as the AFP is concerned, we visited our troops manning our territory,” Año said.

Armed Forces chief Gen. Eduardo Año

After the visit, Lorenzana laid out plans to improve the structures on the island, and plans to immediately build a beaching ramp so that ships could more easily unload construction materials to be used in the rehabilitation of the Rancudo airstrip and other facilities urgently needed.

The chief of the Defense department’s public affairs office, Arsenio Andolong, said the trip to Pagasa Island was “a normal visit.”

“He routinely inspects all facilities under the department’s administrative supervision. Pagasa Island is one of those facilities,” Andolong said.

“The trip was meant to see what is needed to improve the living conditions, safety and personal security of Filipinos on the island, who rely on their government to see to their welfare in such a far flung place,” Andolong added.

The Palace on Sunday said the visit by Lorenzana and Año was part of efforts to improve the safety, welfare, and livelihood of Filipinos living in the municipality of Kalayaan, which is part of the province of Palawan.

“The Philippines has long been undertaking customary and routine maritime patrol and overflight in the West Philippine Sea, which are lawful activities under international law,” said Presidential Spokesman Ernesto Abella.

“Such flights will likewise enable us to reach our municipality,” Abella said.

On the way to the island, the aircraft carrying the top defense officials was challenged by China four times.

Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang said the officials’ trip “runs counter to the important consensus reached between the two leadership(s) which is to properly deal with the South China Sea issue.”

The Department of Foreign Affairs had insisted that Pag-asa Island is part of Palawan.

The disputed island near Palawan province is called Zhongye Dao by China. 

It belongs to the Spratly Group of Islands, called Nansha Islands by the Chinese.

During his visit to Pagasa on Friday, the Defense chief said the government has allocated P1.6 billion for the development of the disputed island.

Lorenzana also announced that even President Rodrigo Duterte plans to stay overnight in the disputed island. 

Senator Juan Edgardo Angara on Sunday urged his colleagues in the Senate to support his measure, which would transfer the Pagasa Island Cluster into a major ecotourism destination in the Philippines.

The bill, he said, was in line with President Duterte’s thrust to develop the island.

“With its impeccable beauty, the island is an ideal tourist destination…the rich biodiversity and Filipino heritage truly reflect the beauty of a paradise that our country should be proud of,” Angara said.

Pagasa Island, 480 kilometers off southwestern Palawan, is effectively occupied by the Philippines and the second largest island in the whole of Kalayaan Island Group (Spratlys). It’s the only Philippine-occupied island in the Spratlys that is inhabited by civilians.

Over the weekend, De La Salle University’s Center for Natural Resource and Environment Research said the Philippines must lead other claimant states in the South China Sea to reinforce the international arbitration court’s ruling to “improve the national and regional fisheries management agenda.”

The agenda can include establishing trans-boundary marine parks, areas of joint protection or “no-take zones”, a setup that can work in the 100 or so small islands and reefs in the hotly contested Spratly Islands group, said Ma. Carmel Ablan Lagman of CENSER. With Macon Ramos-Araneta

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