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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider DENR to tell solons how many islands are 'illegally occupied' in West PH Sea

DENR to tell solons how many islands are 'illegally occupied' in West PH Sea

Published Aug 17, 2023 12:39 am

At A Glance

  • Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Secretary Maria Antonia Yulo-Loyzaga has committed to inform congressmen about the actual magnitude of China's incursions in the West Philippine Sea (WPS). 

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(Wikipedia)

Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Secretary Maria Antonia Yulo-Loyzaga has committed to inform congressmen about the actual magnitude of China’s incursions in the West Philippine Sea (WPS).

Receiving this commitment Wednesday, Aug. 16 was Albay 1st district Rep. Edcel Lagman and the House Committee on Appropriations.

During the appropriation panel's deliberation on DENR's proposed budget for 2024, Lagman, an independent minority congressman, sought data on the magnitude of Philippine sovereign territorial properties in the West Philippine Sea illegally occupied and developed by China.

Lagman learned from National Mapping and Resource Information Authority (NAMRIA), which is under the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), that it had the data.

But when the Bicolano asked if DENR could disclose the data, Yulo-Loyzaga replied, "If I may recommend that we have an executive session regarding this topic in order to actually address the question."

An executive session is basically a closed-door meeting. However, the budget hearings are open to the public.

"If you have the data, why do we need to have an executive session? Kindly disclose the data now, because we are claiming that China has occupied so much of the territory awarded to the Philippines," Lagman said.

"As advised by our representative on the Task Force West Philippine Sea, we do need clearance from the National Security Council in order for us to release this data," Yulo-Loyzaga said. She would later qualify this "data" as the "actual identification of the illegally occupied areas" in the WPS.

When Lagman asked Yulo-Loyzaga to requested for such clearance, the latter obliged and said, "We will request the clearance."

She said she would furnish the appropriations panel with both their request to the council and the data on the Chinese incursions.

"It is of international and public knowledge that China has unlawfully grabbed Philippine properties in the WPS. Filipinos are entitled to know the extent of the rapacity of China. The magnitude of China's incursions must not be shrouded in ineptitude and secrecy," Lagman said in a statement Wednesday afternoon.

Lagman had earlier sought the same information Tuesday, Aug. 15 from Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Secretary Enrique Manalo during the DFA's budget hearing. However, Manalo said they didn't have it and instead pointed the veteran solon to NAMRIA.

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Edcel Lagman Chinese incursions west philippine sea
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