News Roundup 08 August 2023
Aug 08, 2023 • 4 min Read
Government vows: Philippines will never abandon Ayungin | PHILSTAR.COM –MANILA, Philippines — Under threat of being surrounded and blockaded by Chinese vessels, the government vowed that Ayungin Shoal will never be abandoned by Filipinos.
National Security Council Assistant Director General Jonathan Malaya made the pronouncement yesterday in the wake of the latest move by the Chinese to stop a resupply mission to the outpost, by firing a water cannon at a Philippine Navy vessel escorting civilian boats that were delivering provisions to the BRP Sierra Madre.
“For the record, we will never abandon Ayungin Shoal. We are committed to Ayungin Shoal,” Malaya said at a press briefing held by the National Task Force on the West Philippine Sea at the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA).
The DFA fired off another note verbale against Beijing over the Ayungin incident.
President Marcos called a military command conference Monday to come up with comprehensive actions against China’s continued aggression.
“The incident speaks for itself,” Malaya said, referring to the incident on Aug. 5.
The National Task Force on the West Philippine Sea led by National Security Adviser Eduardo Año issued a statement denouncing China’s latest aggression.
Malaya said the incident was an apparent attempt by China to test the Philippines’ resolve to protect its territorial integrity.
“If you wish to speculate (over the reasons for the incident), they are probably looking for weakness in the Philippine position or are trying to gauge our commitment to supply our troops in the shoal,” Malaya said.
“And we are here precisely to reassure the Filipino people that as directed by our President, we are consistent… that we will not lose an inch of our territory,” he said
Full Story at: Government vows: Philippines will never abandon Ayungin | Philstar.com
No commitment to remove BRP Sierra Madre from Ayungin Shoal — NSC | PHILSTAR.COM – MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines did not make any commitment to remove BRP Sierra Madre from Ayungin Shoal, the National Security Council said Tuesday after China renewed calls for the removal of the grounded vessel.
China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs claimed Monday that Manila had promised “several times” to tow away BRP Sierra Madre—a rusty World War II-era ship that serves as the country’s outpost in the West Philippine Sea—“but has yet to act on it.”
NSC spokesperson Jonathan Malaya, however, said this alleged commitment of the Philippines is a “figment of their imagination.”
“The Philippines has not and will never agree to abandon its sovereign rights and jurisdiction over Ayungin Shoal,” Malaya said.
In 1999, the Philippine Navy intentionally grounded BRP Sierra Madre at Ayungin Shoal to reinforce Manila’s sovereignty claim in the Spratly Islands. Ayungin Shoal is located within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone.
Full Story at: No commitment to remove BRP Sierra Madre from Ayungin Shoal — NSC | Philstar.com
Rep. Castro wants OVP confidential, intel funds allocated to PH Coast Guard | INQUIRER.NET – MANILA, Philippines — ACT Teachers party-list Rep. France Castro has asked for the realignment of the Office of the Vice President’s (OVP) confidential and intelligence funds in the proposed 2024 budget to the country’s coast guard after a recent incident in the West Philippines Sea (WPS).
Castro on Tuesday said that the P500 million confidential and intelligence funds (CIF) requested by the OVP should instead be used to support the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) operations.
According to the Makabayan lawmaker, if the OVP is concerned about national security, it should hand over parts of its budget to the PCG, which routinely faces dangers from China’s aggressive actions.
“Ang PCG ang palaging humaharap sa pambubully ng China, tapos ang intel funds nila ay P10 million lang mula 2009. Samantalang ang OVP na wala namang kinalaman sa intelligence gathering ay napakalaki ng intel funds,” Castro said.
(PCG has continuously faced China’s bullying, but their intel funds are only at P10 million since 2009. Meanwhile, the OVP has nothing to do with intelligence gathering but still gets a considerable share.)
“If the OVP is so concerned with national security, then it should have no objections and would, in fact, support the transfer of its P500M to the PCG,” she added.
Full Story at: Rep. Castro wants OVP confidential, intel funds allocated to PH Coast Guard | Inquirer News
Solon calls for gov’t action on rice supply, price issues | INQUIRER.NET – MANILA, Philippines — Nueva Ecija 3rd District Rep. Ria Vergara has asked the government to take decisive steps against the potential rice shortage and a possible price increase and added that the country should have already learned from the recent onion crisis.
During her privilege speech on Tuesday’s session, Vergara asked that the Department of Agriculture (DA) monitor rice buffer stock on a more frequent basis, while the Department of Trade and Industry should check prices regularly.
Full Story at: Solon calls for gov’t action on rice supply, price issues | Inquirer News
