MANILA: After repeated forays into Philippine waters by Chinese vessels, the government is still hopeful of seeing the matter resolved through international arbitration while encouraging Filipinos to find other fishing grounds.
“We’ve chosen to take it to the arbitration tribunal and we are pursuing that particular action,” deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said. “We’ve decided to take it to the proper forum.”
She also stressed that while Filipinos are being encouraged to fish elsewhere, the country is not giving up sovereignty over territories being claimed by China.
“We have consistently reiterated that ‘what is ours remains ours.’ But there is a deliberate choice to avoid or to not respond to any provocative actions,” Valte said, adding that livelihood assistance is being offered to displaced local fishermen.
“It does not mean there are no other places, in fact, the BFAR (Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources) has also encouraged them to find alternative fishing grounds,” Valte said.
The Philippines recently filed a diplomatic protest over China’s incursion into Ayungin Shoal — the latest of the numerous encroachments into Philippine territory by Chinese vessels.
There are also fears that China is planning to build permanent structures in areas within Philippine territory like what it did in Mischief Reef.
Recently, the UN committed to look into the Philippine case and appointed judges for an international arbitration court.
Manila hopes to have the international body compel China to respect the Philippines’ 200-mile exclusive economic zone.
“I cannot stress this enough that if you notice our response to maritime disputes, we have always taken it to the proper forum; and from where we stand, we cannot take any action that may tend to exacerbate the situation apart from the approach that we’ve already taken,” Valte said.
“Yes, we have taken the peaceful way. We have opted for a diplomatic resolution. We have opted to avail of a rules-based approach that we believe is the best way to push for our interest,” Valte said.
THE PHILIPPINE STAR
