Senate President Pro Tempore Loren Legarda on Monday, December 19 said the effective implementation of the Hague ruling is the government’s duty and it is the least the government can do for the next generation of Filipinos.
Legarda stressed this following the passing by the Senate of a resolution expressing the sense of the Senate against the recurring violation into the country’s exclusive economic zone and claimed territory in the West Philippine Sea.
The Hague decision refers to a United Nations arbitral court rejecting China’s ‘’historical’ claim over most parts of the South China Sea, including the West Philippine Sea. The ruling was given in 2016.
The Senate resolution cited the “bullying” by a Chinese vessel to the Philippine Navy in the West Philippine Sea (WPS).
This is in reference to the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and the historic Hague ruling in 2016 of the International Permanent Court of Arbitration that declared China’s expansive maritime claims to be devoid of merit.
“How else can we help the Philippine Navy, the fisherfolks not just in Palawan in all coastal areas, and every Filipino living today and in the future? ” Legarda stated when she interpellated Senator Francis Tolentino on his privilege speech.
Legarda added that there is a need for government agencies like the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) to intensify their presence in the Kalayaan Islands.
BFAR Director Eduardo Gongona has said that thousands of fisherfolk benefit from the West Philippine Sea, especially those coming from the Ilocos Region, Central Luzon, Mimaropa, and parts of the National Capital Region.
Gongona said that 324,312 metric tons of aquatic products were procured from the West Philippine Sea in 2020, translating to seven percent of total fisheries production that year.
Legarda stressed that other than setting up the country’s territorial defense in WPS against harassment and incursions of Chinese vessels, the Philippines should also protect and preserve marine biodiversity.
"We just passed the budget. BFAR has its own budget. There's no need for us to wait to amend the 2024 budget. Perhaps from their budget on fishing boats, they can allocate for Kalayaan," she said.
In November 2022, the Chinese Coast Guard (CCG) interfered in the retrieval of space rocket debris that fell within the territorial sea near Pag-asa Island. This was after Philippine personnel earlier detected the space debris within the country’s territorial waters. A retrieval operation took place but a boat from China Coast Guard deliberately interfered and cut the towing line to forcibly take the space debris.
The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) issued a note verbale to China in a continuous effort to assert the sovereignty of the Philippines over claimed territorial waters.
“Bawal ang bully sa mundo (bullying is prohibited in this world)I. I want them to hear it, that's why I am making my voice loud and clear. Wala akong sinasabing bully. Bawal ang bully I am not saying ‘bully’ because bullying its prohibited). Kung sino matamaan siya ang masaktan (he one hit will be the one hurt),” Legarda stressed.