Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri believes that the country should use the furor among other nations caused by the release of China's 10-dash line in its new standard map to its own advantage by gathering allies in asserting sovereignty over the West Philippine Sea (WPS).

Zubiri made the statement during the joint hearing of the Senate Committees on National Defense, on Foreign Relations, on Public Works and on Finance on the situation in the WPS.

“Marami po ang nagalit sa ating kapitbahay sa Norte dahil sinakop nila pati ang India, ang teritoryo ng India, na never before po sila nagkondena sa nangyayari dito sa WPS. Pati na rin Brunei nagsalita – never pong nagsalita ang Brunei – sinakop na po sila sa 10-dash line (A lot of neighboring countries up north were angered because China included India's territory who before did not condone the issue in WPS. Even Brunei hit back - Brunei never talked - they were included in the 10-dash line),” Zubiri explained.

The Senate President bared that with China’s release of the 10-dash line, the Philippines’ neighbors in the north like India and Brunei in the south, who had earlier remained on the sidelines of the competing claims in the WPS, have now stepped forward to denounce China.

Zubiri said more and more countries have been speaking up against this illegal expansionist policy of the world superpower and supporting the Philippines' claim in the WPS.

“Kaya let us utilize the anger, not the goodwill, but the anger being peddled by our neighbors in the north to our advantage as a sovereign nation. I totally agree with the cooperation in terms of interoperability of our like-minded sovereign nations in the region where we believe in the rule of law and freedom of navigation,” he added.

He also mentioned that the country needs to tap into its alliances and rely on friends to defend the Philippines’ sovereignty over the West Philippine Sea (WPS) if China continues to use military and economic superiority in asserting its illegal claims over the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

“Hindi po natin kayang gawin ito nang mag-isa. Kailangan po natin ang tulong ng ating mga kaalyado (We can't do this [boosting military capabilities] alone. We need the help of our allies), whether we like it or not,” Zubiri said in his opening speech during the hearing.

“Hindi lamang sa pagbibigay po ng mga equipment para sa pandirigma, pati sa economic assistance. Kasi alam po nila na pwede po tayong i-hostage ng isang bansa pagdating sa (Not only in giving military equipment, but also economic assistance. Because they know that we can be hostaged one country [China] when it comes to) economic agenda,” he added.

The Senate chief said the United States has already expressed support for the Philippine cause in the WPS, as well as countries such as Australia, Japan, Vietnam, South Korea and even the European Union.

“I welcome the fact that the United States of America, in every discussion, in every fora, has said that they will stand by the Philippines kung meron pong mangyayari (If anything happens). At hindi lamang yun, marami na pong sumasang-ayon sa atin at tumutulong (Not only that, a lot have agreed and are helping),” Zubiri said.