WPS composite picture from Inquirer file, AFP and Reuters photograph
MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines is open to leasing ships from different international locations to increase its presence within the West Philippine Sea, stated the Nationwide Maritime Council (NMC) on Thursday.
“Really parang stop-gap measure–habang wala pa talaga tayong atin, it’s an space, it’s an possibility na siguro mag-arkila tayo,” stated NMC spokesperson Alexander Lopez in a Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon briefing on Thursday.
(Really, it’s like a stop-gap measure–whereas we don’t actually have our personal but, it’s an space, it’s an possibility that we’d lease.)
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The thought was initially proposed on Wednesday by Senator Francis Tolentino, who steered that leasing ships may assist strengthen the nation’s presence within the West Philippine Sea.
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However Lopez stated the federal government had already been contemplating the prospect of leasing ships even earlier than.
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“Maganda po ‘yung suggestion ni Sen. Tolentino, actually pinagiisipan na po ‘yon dati,” he stated.
(Sen. Tolentino’s suggestion is nice, actually we already thought of that earlier than.)
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The Philippines has been embroiled in a long-standing territorial dispute with China, which claimed possession of many of the South China Sea—together with the West Philippine Sea—by its so-called 10-dash line, regardless of the world being throughout the Philippines’ unique financial zone (EEZ).
Nevertheless, China’s claims had been successfully invalidated by a July 2016 worldwide tribunal ruling, stemming from a case filed by Manila in 2013.
Regardless of the ruling, China has continued to intentionally ignore it, persistently encroaching on the Philippines’ EEZ.
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