To help boost the Philippines’ territorial claims in the West Philippine Sea (WPS), Senate President Francis Escudero announced on Monday that the upper chamber will prioritize passing laws akin to the Maritime Zone and Sea Lanes Act.
This crucial measure has already cleared the bicameral conference committee and is now awaiting the signature of President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr.
Escudero emphasized the importance of enhancing the military, not to escalate tensions further, but to ensure that peace and stability will reign supreme in the region. “We will strengthen our military, not to ignite any conflict, but in order to secure peace,” he stated.
He underscored the necessity of peaceful initiatives to safeguard the Filipinos’ rights to navigate and fish in their territorial waters.
“We will take peaceful measures to defend our people’s right to sail in our seas and fish in our waters—as what our ancestors had done, and what our children shall do,” Escudero affirmed.
Highlighting the importance of diplomacy and maintaining strong relations with neighboring countries, Escudero suggested that current regional conflicts are temporary compared to the long-standing friendships in the area.
“Indeed, we must work towards bridging these troubled waters,” he said.
“I am confident that we shall overcome whatever disagreements we may have with any of our neighbors, given our centuries-old amicable relations with them, where this point in time in our current history, to me, is a mere speck.”
Escudero assured that the Senate remains resolute in defending the country’s independence and sovereignty. “Make no mistake about it, this Senate is unanimous and unbending in defending our country’s independence and sovereignty,” he declared.
He also emphasized the balance between diplomacy and assertiveness, stating, “We make friends but we will not allow them to suppress our rights. We will talk to them, but we will not allow them to enslave us.”
