PH MORE ASSERTIVE IN WPS UNDER MARCOS

THE Philippines is more assertive in its position in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) under the administration of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., a coast guard official said on Saturday.“

Well, I think right now, we are more assertive if that will be the much more appropriate diplomatic term. We are more assertive in our position in the West Philippine Sea,” Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) spokesman Commodore Jay Tarriela said in a news forum in Quezon City.

“Since day 1 of President Bongbong Marcos, he has explicitly committed that this government will never surrender a square inch of our territory to any foreign country,” he said.

Under the current administration, there is a deepening security alliance by the Philippines, not just with the United States but even with some of the members of the European Union (EU), Australia and Japan, he said.

Every time the President visits countries, he makes the WPS a major agenda, the official added.

“So, all of these are in response to the constant aggression of the Chinese government. So, if you’re going to ask me whether we have a much firmer stand in our position in the West Philippine Sea under President Bongbong Marcos, I think so,” Tarriela said.

Tarriela said the President’s guidance to the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) and to the PCG has also been very explicit — to protect the rights and ensure the security of Filipino fishermen in WPS.

BFAR and PCG vessels continue to face challenges from Chinese vessels in the WPS, Tarriela said.

He noted BFAR’s recent scientific survey operations had to be suspended because of harassment from three China Coast Guard (CCG) vessels.

The CCG vessels also deployed four speedboats to prevent the BFAR rigid-hulled inflatable boats (RHIBs) in reaching Sandy Cays 2 and 3, and a Chinese Navy helicopter hovered in a “very unsafe altitude,” Tarriela said.