Senate President Juan Miguel "Migz" Zubiri on Wednesday, August 2, said he will urge President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. to be firm in his "balancing" act in dealing with China on the country’s territorial claim over the West Philippine Sea.
Zubiri revealed that he and other senators, including the Senate minority bloc, have been invited to a meeting in Malacanang.
The Senate President said the Philippine President dictates foreign policy.
This followed the approval on Tuesday night, August 1, by the Senate of Resolution 718, now Adopted Resolution No. 79, where senators spelled out five options to the President in pressing China to stop its aggressive tactics in the country’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ) and to honor a United Nations Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) rejecting its historical claim over vast portions of the South China Sea.
He said he was able to talk to Ursula wander Leyen, President of the European Union, who also expressed concurrence with the PCA ruling.
"He (President Marcos) must be very firm and practice diplomacy," Zubiri said.
"Kelangan niya po gawin yan (He needs to do it). Para di madehado ang negosyo at trade with China (So that we would not be on a losing side in our business and trade dealings with China)," he added.
"He (President Marcos) has to have good balancing act," he added.
Zubiri said the Senate was forced to debate and sign the resolution because China’s incursions are approaching the Philippines.
He cited the Sabina shoals which is very near to Palawan but is some 600 nautical miles from the Chinese mainland.
"We have to make sure we push back. May iba na gustong strategy paano itulak ang diplomasya at pag-secure ng WPS (We have different strategies in how to push diplomacy and secure the West Philippine Sea and protect our territorial waters)," he explained.
"We strongly condemn the continued harassment and incursion by Chinese Coast Guard and urging Philippine government (to adopt) appropriate actions in asserting (our) sovereign rights over the EEZ and call China to stop its illegal activities in accordance with the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS)," he stressed.
He emphasized that the Philippines should continue its dialogue with China on the issue of territorial waters.
Failure to make a dent on China’s intransigent position should force the Philippine government to adopt the Senate-proposed options, he pointed out.
If China refuses, according to Zubiri, the Philippines would bring it to the international community and hold discussions with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the Association of Pacific Economic Council (APEC).