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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Hontiveros insists China's P800-B 'debt' can be used for PH's COVID-19 response

Hontiveros insists China's P800-B 'debt' can be used for PH's COVID-19 response

Published Apr 26, 2021 02:22 pm

Senator Risa Hontiveros on Monday, April 26, renewed her call for Malacañang to compel China to pay up the government P800-billion in reparations for the ecological damage they committed in the West Philippine Sea.

Chinese vessels are spotted at the Julian Felipe Reef within the Philippines' exclusive economic zone on March 27, 2021. (Courtesy of National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea)

Aside from the ecological damages, Hontiveros said the Philippines also lost around P644-billion worth of fish catch due to the presence of Chinese vessels in the area since 2014.

The senator said the total amount of China’s debt to the Philippines can be used to augment the government’s response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

“There is so much we could do with P800-billion. Our health care workers have been demanding timely hazard pay; our teachers need financial support with the resources for online learning; farmers and fisherfolk themselves are going hungry, and 4.5 million jobless Filipinos are looking for aid to tide them over,” Hontiveros said in a statement.

In April 2020, Hontiveros filed Senate Resolution 369 demanding that the Executive department exert legal and diplomatic efforts to ensure China will foot the bill for the country’s COVID-19 response.

The resolution was in response to a report of the University of the Philippines’ Marine Science Institute which revealed that the Philippines is losing around P33.1-billion annually since China started building structures in the West Philippine Sea for seven years now.

Last February, the senator said the amount could already be more than P800-billion as China is hell-bent on continuing with her reclamation activates in the West Philippine Sea.

Hontiveros said she would ask the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations to start hearing the resolution she filed when Congress resumes sessions on May 17.

“I hope that this could be heard by the committee, especially that China is hell-bent on continuing with her reclamation activities in the WPS while we are still scrambling for funds for our COVID-19 response,” she said.

“We are well within our rights to pressure China to pay,” the lawmaker reiterated.

“If the Palace is claiming the government no longer has the money to provide financial assistance, then maybe the Palace can ask the ‘best friend’ to pay for his debts. They shouldn’t leave the responsibility of giving of food and cash aid to community pantries,” Hontiveros stressed.

Related Tags

Risa Hontiveros maritime dispute West Philippine Sea china
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