Celebrating the National West Philippines Sea day every July 12 is a step towards the right direction for the government to assert its sovereignty over the maritime area that China continues to contest.
Senate Deputy Minority Leader Risa Hontiveros pointed this out as she asserts the right of the Philippines to declare the West Philippine Sea as part of its own maritime territory.
“Celebrating National WPS Day every July 12 is a way for us to always remember our historic win at the Hague. Paraan ito para matiyak na ang panalong ito ay hindi tratuhing parang papel lang na pwedeng itapon sa basura (This is a way to ensure that our victory is not treated like just a piece of paper that can be thrown in the trash),” Hontiveros said in a statement.
“It should be part of our history lessons. This landmark legal victory should be kept alive in the hearts of our people. Commemorating WPS Day would remind not only Filipinos, but the entire world, how the Philippines fought – peacefully – for what is ours, for what is right,” she stressed.
In 2016, the Permanent Court of Arbitration upheld the Philippines’ maritime entitlements and invalidated China’s massive claims in the South China Sea, marking it a victory for the Filipino people.
Hontiveros made her proposal known through Senate Resolution No. 674.
According to Hontiveros, she is also inclined to support Rep. Rufus Rodriguez’s bill proposing to create a think tank called Center for West Philippine Studies under the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA).
The Center aims to promote and focus on how the Philippines can better defend and support its territorial claims in the WPS.
“I’m inclined to support this measure, considering how it is essential that we keep thinking of more creative strategies to better defend the WPS,” she said.
“Mahalaga ang malalim na pag-aaral para maprotektahan ang ating karagatan, karapatan, at soberanya (Deeper learning is essential to protect our oceans, rights, and sovereignty),” she stressed.
“We won at the Hague precisely because of deep and exhaustive legal and historical research, discussions, and debates. Having a think tank like this proposed Center for West Philippine Sea studies can all the more contribute to the wealth of knowledge and information that could only strengthen our claims,” she pointed out.
At the same time, the lawmaker said passage of the proposed Blue Economy Act can help protect the country’s maritime assets in the WPS such as the Escoda Shoal.
The proposed Blue Economy Act primarily aims to promote a sustainable development of the country’s marine resources, not least those that are within the Exclusive Economic Zone of the West Philippine Sea, the senator noted.
“Ang panukalang ito ay magsisigurado na ang mga likas-yaman na nakapaloob sa WPS ay mapapakinabangan nating mga Pilipino, partikular na ng mga mangingisda at fisherfolk communities na nakadepende sa WPS para sa kanilang kabuhayan (This proposal will ensure that the natural resources contained in the WPS will benefit us Filipinos, particularly the fishermen and fisherfolk communities who depend on the WPS for their livelihood),” she said.
“Through this measure, the government is pushed to play an active role in ensuring that the marine life within our exclusive economic zone (EEZ) is protected, our resources kept intact, and our future secured,” added Hontiveros.