Inside Philippine politics & beyond

Taiwan should “remember who its friends are,” says Manila’s former envoy to UN

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By Raïssa Robles

I would like to share with you guys my articles on the Taiwan-Philippine dispute published by South China Morning Post. This one appeared today:

Former envoy Lauro Baja tells Taiwan to ‘remember who its friends are’

Raissa Robles in Manila

Friday, 17 May 2013

A former top Philippines diplomat has urged Taiwan to “remember who its friends are”, in comments that appear to suggest Taiwan is ungrateful for Manila’s longstanding support for its political autonomy.

“Taiwan should remember we were the first ones to have these informal relations with them and we have substantial relations with them in terms of trade,” said Lauro Baja, the former Philippines ambassador to the United Nations.

Baja said he decided to speak out as a citizen because of what he perceived was Taiwan’s “overreaction” to the death of one of its fishermen on May 9 when a Philippines coastguard vessel fired at a Taiwanese fishing boat that Manila said was inside Philippine territory.

Baja said that, contrary to Taipei’s claims that the incident occurred in disputed territory, Taiwan had long recognised the area as a part of Philippine waters.

“If you recall, during the time of [President] Cory Aquino, there was some sort of corridor established for Taiwanese fishermen” to pass through that area, he said. But Baja, once foreign affairs undersecretary for policy, did not know the status of that agreement because “it came from Malacanang Palace and did not pass through the DFA [Department of Foreign Affairs]”.

“With their entity being a province of China, giving sanctions and refusing to receive the representative of the president, what is that? Sometimes I feel we have these things coming to us because of our very timid diplomacy,” Baja said.

Rex Robles, a retired Philippine Navy commodore and security consultant, also pointed to the corridor agreement as proof that Taiwan recognises Philippine sovereignty over that area.

“I think everyone has forgotten about the safety corridor which Cory Aquino signed during her term. It allowed Taiwanese fishermen to pass through Philippine waters on their way to the Pacific Ocean,” he said.

Robles said if Taiwan believed the area was theirs, in the first place, “why will they sign that MOU [Memorandum of Understanding]?”

To read the rest please click on this link.

Here is my previous piece, co-bylined with Minnie Chan. Below is an excerpt where I interviewed Herman Kraft of the University of the Philippines:

US treading carefully as row between Taipei and Manila escalates

Washington keen to avoid trouble between its allies as it steps up deployment in Asia-Pacific

(excerpt)

A Filipino security expert also said the US would be careful not to anger its two allies.

Herman Kraft, executive director of the Manila-based Institute for Strategic and Development Studies said: “As far as the US is concerned, they would rather not be playing any significant role or saying anything that might put them in an awkward position with either of the two players, which are allies.”

To read the rest, please click on this link.

Here is an excerpt from today’s South China Morning Post editorial entitled:

An apology by the Philippines is only the first step

Complicated disputes can require pragmatic solutions. This has been forgotten by the Philippines in the fallout from the killing by its coastguard of a Taiwanese fisherman. Much is at stake economically, so skirting muddied waters is an inadequate response. Manila has to show remorse.

Diplomatically, that is not easy for the Philippines, which recognises Beijing, not Taipei. So a direct apology from the highest level of government would seemingly not be in keeping with protocol. That lack of recognition also makes resolving territorial waters disputes troubling; the killing was in an area both claim as being in their 200 nautical-mile off-shore exclusive economic zones. With Beijing also claiming the sea, a deal like that between Taiwan and Japan to share fishing resources is challenging.

Politics also has to be negotiated. Taiwanese President Ma Ying-jeou’s approval rating has fallen to just 14 per cent and the row offers a chance for a turnaround. Taipei has so far recalled its envoy to Manila, frozen applications for work permits, halted economic exchanges and staged navy drills in which the Philippines is the perceived enemy.

****

Whether the fishing boat rammed the coastguard vessel as the Philippines claims does not justify so deadly a response…

To read the rest, please click on this link.

Finally, SCMP’s Taipei correspondent Lawrence Chung tries to quantify the costs of the dispute.

Taiwan curbs on the Philippines ‘to cost HK$2.3b’

Taiwan will not be left untouched if it punishes the Philippines for the death of a fisherman killed by its coastguard, an economist warns

In peso terms, the dispute could cost the Philippines P12.35 billion. But Chung wrote that according to a Taiwanese economist:

“Given there are some 10 million Filipino workers overseas, Taiwan is not among the major destinations for Filipino workers,” said senior researcher Wu Hui-lin from the Chung Hua Institution for Economic Research in Taipei. He cautioned that if Taipei sought to raise the stakes by slapping trade sanctions on Manila, it might not be in Taiwan’s favour, given it enjoyed a US$6.77 billion trade surplus with the Philippines last year.

To read the rest, please click on this link.

 

Comments

  1. Before i forgot OWWA and DOLE should look into South Korea since the factory joint run by North and South was closed. Since the factory was closed in Kaesong why not ask S. Korea to open a factory in South Korea or in PH and we will send them pinoy workers.

    It will be a good opportunity for pinoy OFW’s in Taiwan that is being maltreated that wants to be transferred to other country.

    Bilang isang OFW myself hindi natin kailangan lumuhod sa isang probinsiya na matayog ang lipad. Marami pang ibang bansa sa buong mundo na nangangailangan ng quality workforce.

  2. Every CPMers should read this ridiculous article written by a professor of tamkang university in Taiwan.

    http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/editorials/archives/2013/05/18/2003562535/1

    This statement on page 2 struck me the most:
    “It is also worth noting that according to the Treaty of Paris signed in 1898 to end the Spanish-American War, Batanes islands do not actually belong to the Philippines, as the Spanish did not cede these islands to the US.”

    Now they want to justify that batanes is not part of our country. Though my Taiwanese might hate this but they are really like their brothers in mainland with their ridiculous statements. Few weeks ago their mainland brothers said that Okinawa was really part of china.

    http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/may/15/china-okinawa-dispute-japan-ryukyu

    May kasabihan nga tayong mga Pilipino na nababagay sa mga ibang mangingisdang Chinese at Taiwanese. “Ang magnanakaw ay galit sa kapwa magnanakaw.”

    • Correction on paragraph 3: I was supposed to say that “Though my Taiwanese friends might hate me for saying this but…”

  3. Masyado nang nababastos ang ating bayan sa mga pinaggagawa ng mga ilang kalapit bansa laban sa ating soberentiya na ang ating honor at dignidad ay nasasaalang-alang. Ang insidente ng sa ngayon ay Taiwan crisis ay panibagong halimbawa ng kung paano na tayo tinatrato ng mga ito. Sariwang-sariwa pa sa ating alaala ang kaganapan sa Sabah, sa South China sea, Thubataha reef, etc. etc. Bakit nagagawa sa atin ang mga pangwawalanghiya ng mga ito ? Dahil ba sa tayo ay mababait o “meek as a lamb”, duwag o “pragmatic” kuno na sa kapalit ng job orders ay handa tayong sampal-sampalin? Hindi ba tayo nakukutya sa ating sarili na aminin mismo na “…wala tayong sapat na kakayanan upang harapin ang mga kaaway” ? Na mismo raw “..ang ating sasakyang-dagat ay hindi makakahabol sa mga banka ng mga ito” ? Napakasakit na makita at marinig ang iresponsableng statements na ito mula mismo sa mga matataas na pinuno ng ating bansa! Dagdag pa rito ang kabagalang magresponde sa krisis na ngangailangan ng kagya’t na pagtugon para sa kaalaman at kainahunan ng ating mamamayan. Bakit lagi ang ating mga kababayan ang nagdurusa sa mga pagkukulang na ito? Hindi ba pwedeng tayo naman ang magsagawa ng hakbangin laban sa mga dayuhang ito, partikular sa kasong ito ay mga intsik? Kung nagagawa nilang saktan ang mga walang namang kinalaman na mga kababayan natin, bakit hindi natin tingnan naman ang mga intsik na mga drug lords, gambling lords, smugglers, illegal traders, mga violators sa labor laws at iba pa. No, we’re not calling for “racial war”, napakarami naman ng mga matitino at maaayos na mga Chinese, pero this time, those corrupt at bad INTSIK should taste their own medicine. An eye for an eye will only make the world blind?, no it will surely expose the devils and glaring realities of life for all the whole world to see!!! The present government of ours should now start to play its cards well. Para hindi na tayo umasa sa mga job abroad upang maitaguyod lamang ang kabuhayan ng ating mamamayan, nararapat lamang na magsagawa tayo ng komprehensibong programang pang-ekonomiya. Ipamahagi ang mga nakatiwangwang na mga lupain para sa mga magsaska, makabayang industriyalisasyon para sa mga lokal na kapitalista at manggagagawa. Resolbahin ang usapin sa Peace & Order at corruptions. Napakarami nating mga dalampasigan/resorts, raw materials, mga culture and arts na pwede nating gamitin bilang source of income and revenues. At ang yaman ng karagatan na hindi natin mapapasubalian na malaking ambag sa ikauunlad ng atng bayan. Dahil ba sa pag-eempleyo sa ibang bansa na kung saan ang ating mga kababayan ay utusan, alila ay sapat ng kapalit sa dignidad at honor ng ating bansa? Kaya tayo inaapi ng iba dahil sa tayo ay precieved na walang buto, mangmang at duwag! At ang mga pinuno ng ating bansa ay mga corrupt at inutil!!! Hindi kaya nakikinita-kinita ng ilan na habang pinag-iisipan ng mga lider ng bansa ang krisis ng bayan, ay pinagpapawisan ng malapot at todo punas ng laway at sipon ang mga ito!!!

  4. Philippines is one of those young countries that has never really gone through bloodshed in its course thru maturity. it also needs a cause to unify its citizens. a cause that the filipino people can fight for.

    I propose that this row with Taiwan and the continuing situation with the Spratleys is an opportunity. I say let us end this ‘timid diplomacy’ and shed blood. i would be the first to offer mine. in so doing, my hope is that the day will come that we as a nation would have the same love of country that others do.

    LET FILIPINO BLOOD FLOW!

    • What you should probably say is that we’ve never had a successful bloody revolution where the powerful oligarchs have been strung up from the streetlamps. Otherwise we’ve had a pretty bloody history – born in a violent revolution against Spain, abruptly aborted by an even more violent war against the US, followed less than 40 years later by the devastation of the Pacific War, which was then succeeded by the war against the Hukbalahaps, the NPA, the MNLF, MILF, and of course the murderous Marcos dictatorship. Filipino blood has been flowing throughout much of our history

      • we are like what we are because of over-flowing filipino blood not only in our country but also around the globe.
        the timidity of our corrupt officials is doing us harm for their concern is more on the protection of their loots…

  5. Taiwan is overreacting to the situation. And it is just plain absurdity that they threaten to retaliate through trade cuts and hiring sanctions. They’re basically telling our government to just admit that we mistakenly killed one of their citizens (without a formal investigation) or else they’re going to punish us by imposing sanctions. Such childish behavior can manifest itself in a government institution is beyond my comprehension.

    Hey, if you trespass into my backyard and my dog bites you, do you throw stones at my window to retaliate ?

    President Aquino is too quick to apologize, he should have waited until there’s a definitive result to the investigation. Maybe, an apology isn’t necessary.

    I guess the hostage taking incident with the HK tourists must have gotten to him. But he should have known better and know that the situations are different and not to quickly issue an apology just to appease them.

    Problem is our backyard security watchdogs are not so fierce and quick to bite. We should instead train and maintain fiercer, more robust breeds. With those glaring eyes and sharp fangs, I bet you, any prowler would think twice before venturing into our yard.

    • Yeah right, go ahead and impose trade sanctions. You don’t need to import our Bangus from us anyway, you can always come to our waters and steal them!

      What’s with these fishermen anyway ? Can’t you mind your own sea ?

    • Reminds me of the crook in the U.S. who tried to burglarize a convenience store but end up sueing the owner because he fell from a broken ceiling.

      What an A..!

    • Go fish in the Gulf of Oman. And when they target your boat with a rocket launcher, ask the Taliban to apologize.

    • We have more pressing concerns in our own country. Our Coast Guards do not sail all the way to Taiwan to kill fishermen. Otherwise, your Taiwan Coast Guards would have seen us and fire at us instead!

      • @Juan Voice,
        Thanks for those many concern words you wrote. Do you think also that we Filipinos are not really respected by Chinese? I have noticed many times that if they are the one who did harm to us, we have to ask them to apologize and hardly they do it. and isn’t it an act of cowardice (in the guise of humility) if we are the ones who seem to make mistake, we immediately ask for apology while they all rants on the street ignoring us?
        Just asking.

        • apologizing is not a sign of weakness, my teacher used to say. it only means you’re acknoledging that someone is hurting and you’re reaching out to soothe things. it’s not our fault if people do not want to be soothed, and want money instead. that’s their prerogative. I think, our president did right in apologizing, we cannot all be cavemen like them. we’re more open to negotiation and educated now.

        • True, PNoy did the diplomatic correct way of issuing an apology. I respect him for standing up and being man enough to say “Sorry”. A loss of life is always a sad thing. That guy shot might be loving parent or grandparent or husband to someone, but if indeed in fact, he had taken provocative actions against our Coast Guards, our forces had every right to do whatever is necessary to protect themselves, not just our waters!
          I wouldn’t think though that all Chinese do not respect Filipinos, that would be stereotyping. But oftentimes when someone commits a mistake and end up aggravating thier own situation, their initial reaction would be impulsive and not rational, to say the least.
          My point was, if ever the investigation yielded an outcome that shows the fisherman had indeed crossed into our waters, took aggressive measures vs our Coast Guards despite warnings, then, what was that “apology” for ? It should be the other way around, don’t you think?

      • Filipino fisherman caught fishing inside Malaysian waters are there any circumstances that they SHOOT and KILLED our poachers? WALA PA NAMAN SIGURO… that shooting was not yet necessary nor in an emergency situation already where our coast guard ACTED that way…. Tama lang na mag apologized si PNOY early.

    • It is human errors initially, but become political now. Human consideration overrides political. Just recall the incidence and where human mistake made. ….. Yes if i step into your backyard and your dog bites me, do you say ‘serve you right’? May be it is politic that jeopidised. It is sad.

    • Many foreign fisherman poachers were being caught in Palwan Sea and they were all apprehended , jailed and later on they were released and some are still languishing on jail, but in NO circumstances that shootings OCCURED….. Some Filipino fisherman were also caught fishing inside Malysian waters and were also apprehended but not SHOOT by their coastguard… …I think PNOYs apology was just right on time and the investigation shoul be done FASTER….. And if found out to be a trigger happy coast guard then we have to prosecute them….

      Tayo nga mga Filipino, kahit totoong drug mules ang mga nahuhuli ng mga CHINO so as Filipinos who committed and sentenced of the crime of murder where DEATH was the penalty in that country ay abot hanggang langit ang mga PAKIUSAP natin , na HINDI naman dapat and we also reacted on the wrong way,,, sila naman kaya ang barilin natin , kahit sa loob pa nang ating pamamahay ang Hindi magagalit? Kung smuggler man sila , IMHO the shooting was not NECCESSARY and not in the immediate needs that time…..

      • that’s why the Philippine government is taking a serous investigation of the case so that the culprit will be punished!

    • Beaten me to the draw. Anyway, in Alan’s link above…

      “The whole world is bullying us, so we have to bully someone weaker than us,” said George Tsai, a political scientist at Chinese Culture University in Taipei. “Taiwanese have accumulated so much frustration and anger. Collectively, we’re trying to find an outlet. At such a moment, the Ma administration can only be tough.”

      Nabu-bully na nga tayo tapos makababasa ka pa mula sa “kababayan” natin nang ganito…

      http://www.ellentordesillas.com/2013/05/16/filipino-workers-paying-the-price-for-malacanangs-bungling/

      Kainis!!!

      • President Aquino can’t do anything right it seems, as far as Tordesillas is concerned.

        • Another group that hates Aquino is the Get Real PHL gang, which professes to analyze the country’s social and political problems. Kuno. Amazingly enough they are quiet on the Marcos era. Hmm…

        • Aargh I can’t take those guys, not even in the littlest doses. That the Ignacio couple can keep writing about the Philppines and the Filipinos with so much apparent contempt while resident in another country (where I also happen to be) just confounds me. Whatever could have caused all that pain, I sometimes wonder.

          Anyway, I understand they live somewhere south of Sydney which thankfully (for them or me?) is far enough away from where I am. :)

          Here’s something I found online re: his (benign0) take on Marcos :

          http://getrealphilippines.blogspot.com.au/2011/02/why-indeed-should-we-not-bury-former.html

        • Sounds bought and paid for. Any significance to the fact that one of them is named “Imelda” I wonder

        • Exactly what I thought (your first statement) when I first became acquainted with the guy’s writings.

          As for the common name, probably conincidental. But as you know, if the shoe fits ….

        • I understand the GaRaPals have been torn apart by a schismatic war — it’s divided into a gang which is anti-RH and anti-Filipino (headed by the conjugal Marcos lovers) and a party which is pro-charter change and pro-parliamentary form of govt, headed by an original GaRaPal founder, someone named Perez.

      • appears to me tordesillas got some pabuya, more sympathetic to taiwan. maybe via money transfer or special entry with free flight to taiwan, a vacation fully paid by the taiwanese govt perhaps? she will probably change her stance once our prez gives her pabuya too.

        that’s understandable. torsidellas co-works with chinese and taiwanese, she has to do some boot licking.

  7. The Taiwanese people should really learn humility. Many of their people here are drug lords and has ruined plenty of Filipino lives. Who do they think they are? I think that our president should send our Filipino workers at home and let them work here. But then again, what kind of country is this? With corrupt rulers our country is getting bullied by more powerful countries like China. With our workforce, the Philippines has the potential to become a great country. I think that the taiwanese people who bully our “kababayans” there are somewhat iliterate. How could they do that? They have a poor sense of judgement. To all Filipinos at the Philippines, please vote wisely. Don’t vote because of the popularity or if that person is a relative of someone high up in the government. Choose the deserving. Don’t choose corrupt.

  8. Here’s how ‘The Economist’ sees it:

    “Taiwan’s fishing fleet has a reputation as voracious, and in this incident the Philippines said its coastguard was acting against illegal fishing; it opened fire to disable the engine of a Taiwanese vessel after it tried to ram a Philippine cutter. Taiwanese officials said the dead man was unarmed, and his boat was riddled with bullet holes. The public, whipped up by a tub-thumping press, was outraged. The government demanded an apology, an inquiry and compensation and imposed tough sanctions, including a freeze on the hiring of Filipino workers and the recall of ambassadors. It has conducted a naval drill in the contested waters. Meanwhile, hackers from both countries mounted cyber attacks on the other’s official websites. The Philippines’ first apologies were rejected as “insincere”, though one came from an envoy appointed by President Benigno Aquino and seemed abject.”

    “China helped fan Taiwan’s fury. Its foreign ministry was quick to condemn the “barbaric act”. The reliably bellicose Global Times, a Communist Party paper, dutifully recalled that Taiwan is in China’s eyes a province-in-waiting, deserving of its protection”.

    -Seas of Troubles
      May 18, 2013

    http://www.economist.com/news/asia/21578106-taiwan-and-china-share-same-maritime-claims-have-very-different-interests-seas-troubles

    • For once the Economist is vaguely sympathetic to the Philippines. Usually it just snubs the country and from what I remember never even treated it as if it were part of Southeast Asia

      • Probably because they’re not a big fan of President Ma.

        From Ma The Bumbler
        A former heart-throb loses his shine
        The Economist,
        Nov 17, 2012

        “WHEN he was first elected in 2008, Taiwan’s president, Ma Ying-jeou, offered Taiwanese high hopes that the island’s economy would open a new chapter. He promised ground-breaking agreements with China to help end Taiwan’s growing economic marginalisation. At the time, Mr Ma’s image was of a clean technocrat able to rise above the cronyism and infighting of his party, the Kuomintang (KMT). He was a welcome contrast to his fiery and pro-independence predecessor, Chen Shui-bian, now in jail for corruption.”

        “Five years on, and despite being handily re-elected ten months ago, much has changed. In particular, popular satisfaction with Mr Ma has plummeted, to a record low of 13%, according to the TVBS Poll Centre. The country appears to agree on one thing: Mr Ma is an ineffectual bumbler.”

        http://www.economist.com/news/asia/21566657-former-heart-throb-loses-his-shine-ma-bumbler

    • It is not a cutter class (ship) that was used at the time by the Philippine coastguard. Gregorio del pilar is the only cutter class we have since Alcaraz has not been delivered yet.

  9. If this Chinese will not stop with their continued harassments and bullying with our OfW’s in Taiwan and in Mainland China I think it’s best that our so called “leaders” think about what is best for our Country and for what is left for our so called dignity. Let our compatriots go home, and let them survive here. Find them work here, the government servants should be the one to curve government spendings and really serve it’s people.

    These Chinese who are living here in the Philippines and does not have one single drop of Filipino blood should be deported to either China or Taiwan or wherever their ancestry is. Let’s preserve our national dignity for God’s sake, and for our future children’s sake.

    • It should be noted, the Philippines have given refuge to Chinese refugees fleeing poverty, hunger, famine, and killing fields caused by China’s barbaric past.

      Apparently, barbarism of the Chines/Taiwanese has gotten worst. Send all the Chinese/Taiwanese in the Philippines back to China and let them enjoy one child policy, communist style democracy, or if they prefer back to Taiwan where they will enjoy Taiwanese as a province of China.

  10. dasal kong hindi sana magsisi ang Taiwan sa kanilang aroganteng reaksyon.
    at sana ay tanggapin na ng Tsina na sila ay isang independyenteng bansa na kapantay at singlakas din ng Tsina upang gawin nila ang ganito sa Pinas.
    ang yabang.
    yumaman lang.
    may malilipatan pa rin siguro kaming mga OFW’s. dami pang ibang isla sa mundo….

  11. what was Taiwan’s reaction when their babies got sick on the milk fed to them conataminated with melamine powder imported from China?…just asking…

  12. A lot of our Asian neighbors look down on the Philippines as a country they can bully or vent their wrath on. While Taiwanese honor their elders and the death of an unarmed 65 year old unarmed fisherman inside the engine room(??) of a fishing boat is indeed something that is certain to anger its citizens it is not a battle cry for their politicians to rally behind.

    I think all of these is an overreaction by Taiwanese official eager to please its citizens.

    As for the Philippine government. If coast guards are under strict instructions to exercise any variation of maximum tolerance, and if the CG vessel was at risk of being rammed, why not mount a camera in front of our boats? The kind for cars cost only a few thousand pesos.

    • Camera is a superb idea.

      Taiwan aspires to become North Korea II, supplanting diplomacy and competence with bluster and hostility.

    • We are easily bullied, and harassed by these arrogant countries because they think they are rich, have the facilities and firepowers to use against us. This is the fault of our corrupt so called leaders, just want to enrich themselves instead of preparing our country against foreign aggressors , island grabbers and whatever. These countries do not respect us third world countries. It is time we get back our national dignity.

      • The various programs dating back to the early 1990s to build up our military strength — especially the navy — all fell apart for one reason or another.

      • Tama ka, Kong hindi sana natin pinaalis ang U.S.bases nang AMERICA noon ay hindi din sana nangyari ito at kahit ang china ay mag aatubiling gawin ang lumapit o tumawid sa ating territoryo?

  13. The Taiwanese leadership seems to turn a blind eye to the aggressiveness of their fishing fleets, and takes the position that the killing of the fisherman was intentional. These intentional manipulations of information illustrate that the Taiwanese government is pursuing an unfortunate agenda using North Korea style rant to find villains the people can rally against, and to hide incompetent leadership. I’ve opined in depth on this matter on my own blog at joeam dot com. A reader has contributed some interesting video footage of aggressive Taiwanese fishing boat activities versus Japan.

    • Joe correction regarding your article “Taiwan runs amok.”

      In your blog you wrote “The latest was in 2011 when the Philippines deported 15 Taiwanese drug pushers to Taiwan.”

      The pushers were deported to china and not taiwan correct me if im wrong.

        • Since you touched on a little bit of Taiwans presidents trust rating this link might be helpful as well since its the most recent after the incident.

          “74 % of Taiwanese dissatisfied with President Ma: Poll”
          http://www.taiwannews.com.tw/etn/news_content.php?id=2223532

          Ironically the whole article is similar to xinhua news agency. Its like trying to avert the attention of its people using disputes with other countries. Also Pnoy’s last approval rating was 72% (April 8,2013) a deep contrast to president ma that is in the negatives.

        • And guess what Raissa? They still hate us for that and an editor and some of their news editorials brought it up again.

          http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/editorials/archives/2013/05/18/2003562537

          As far as i understand their anger towards “One ChinaPolicy.” They are so mad about states and countries who do not recognize them as a different country from mainland. But the Taiwanese forgot and should be reminded that it is their responsibility to declare themselves a independent sovereign country.

  14. Thats why in my opnion hindi ako sangayon na lumagda tayo sa isang kasunduan regarding fisheries pact. It will open our country to more intrusions between beijing and taipei and loss of resources para sa mga kababayan nating ivatan.

    I dont agree on the SCMP editorial since perez already conveyed Pnoys apology over the death of the fisherman. Sadly the family declined it and the foreign minister and president did not accept it.

    We tried pero kung ayaw nila, huwag pilitin kung ang kapalit naman ay parte or karagatan ng Pilipinas.

    Just a heads-up regarding this lawmaker:
    http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/308834/pinoyabroad/news/us-lawmaker-urges-phl-to-compensate-taiwanese-farmer-s-family-on-humanitarian-grounds

    He spear headed the sale of F-16C/D to taiwan and also a Co-Chairman of the House Congressional Taiwan Caucus. I doubt he will be impartial between the PH-Taiwan dispute.

    Ang maganda lang dito is if Taiwan will accept our pending case in ITLOS the one beijing declined to be part with. Since parehas naman sila ng claim (9 dash theory).

      • @Raissa If ever na pupunta ka sa palasyo or DFA kindly ask them also if they plan to put coast guard personnel sa mga isla na currently uninhabited sa batanes group of islands.

        Kasi nabasa ko na ang Y’ami/Mavudis, Siayan, Vohas, Dequey at Dinem islands ay currenlty uninhabited. Ito ay mga isla na malapit sa Itbayat at Sabtang sa tingin ko dapat ng lagyan ng bantay ang mga islang ito sa norte baka unahan na naman tayo.

  15. that’s what an exaggeratedly peacenik attitude will get us with our neighbors. soft on China, soft on Malaysia, soft on Taiwan. next, it will be the Pacific Islanders with their canoes.

    we seriously need to grow a navy and air force. the internal posture of the AFP needs to be rethought with the new international threats.

    for its part, the NPA should now disband and instead, help in nation-building. they won’t attain their goal in hundreds of years, anyway. they are one of the main reasons why the AFP looks within and not vis-a-vis our neighbors.