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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider DILG order to check Chinese sister city arrangements delights De Lima, Cendaña

DILG order to check Chinese sister city arrangements delights De Lima, Cendaña

Published Jul 11, 2025 04:32 pm

At A Glance

  • Members of the so-called West Philippine Sea Bloc in the House of Representatives have welcomed on Friday, July 11 the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) order to carry out an inventory of sister city arrangements with Chinese cities.
Mamamayang Liberal (ML) Party-list Rep. Leila de Lima, (left) Akbayan Party-list Rep. Percival Cendaña (PPAB, Akbayan)
Mamamayang Liberal (ML) Party-list Rep. Leila de Lima, (left) Akbayan Party-list Rep. Percival Cendaña (PPAB, Akbayan)


Members of the so-called West Philippine Sea Bloc in the House of Representatives have welcomed on Friday, July 11 the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) order to carry out an inventory of sister city arrangements with Chinese cities.
Mamamayang Liberal (ML) Party-list Rep. Leila de Lima and Akbayan Party-list Rep. Percival Cendaña considered this move from DILG Secretary Jonvic Remulla as a quick response to their filing of House Resolution (HR) No.39.
The measure is titled, "A resolution urging the [DILG] to investigate sister city arrangements with Chinese cities, with a view toward rescinding arrangements that are inimical to Philippine National security interests".
"This is a welcome development. We thank the DILG for heeding our call in the [WPS] bloc in Congress–with Akbayan Partylist Reps. Chel Diokno, Perci Cendaña and Dadah Kiram Ismula, Dinagat Islands Rep. Kaka Bag-ao and Albay 1st district Rep. Krisel Lagman–in filing [HR] No. 39 to scrutinize these sister city arrangements with Chinese cities," De Lima said.
"We believe that this is an important and necessary sovereign audit to ensure that no arrangement by any of our LGU (local government unit) compromises our national security interests," noted the former senator.
"Amid China's continued threats, harassments, and malicious narratives and propaganda to discredit our victory in the WPS, we need to protect and safeguard our country from foreign control or manipulation of domestic policies, institutions and national identity," De Lima said.
The significance of the timing of the Secretary of the Interior and Local Government (SILG)'s announcement wasn't lost on Cendaña.
Good timing
"Magandang balita ngayong bisperas ng anibersaryo ng arbitral tribunal victory! (Good news on the eve of the anniversary of our arbitral tribunal victory!)" he said in a separate statement.
"SILG Remulla has ordered an inventory of all sister city agreements between China and the Philippines prompted by our WPS Bloc’s call to review and rescind these agreements," Cendaña said.
"Opening salvo pa lang ito! (This is just the opening salvo!) We urge our fellow lawmakers and citizens to join us in pushing our West PH Sea agenda: declare July 12 as National WPS Victory Day at pagturo ng WPS history and geography sa ating mga paaralan! (and to teach WPS history and geography in our schools!)
The July 12, 2016 Permanent Court of Arbitration ruling that favored the Philippines invalidated China's expansive nine-dash line claim over the entirety of the South China Sea, including the WPS.
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