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Fishers group PAMALAKAYA, along with Pilipinong Nagkakaisa Para sa Soberanya (P1NAS) and Bagong Alyansang Makabayan, hold a protest action outside the Chinese Consulate in Makati on April 9, 2024, to condemn China’s repeated harassment of Filipino fisherfolk in the West Philippine Sea. The group also condemned China’s incursion into the country’s maritime territory and its use of water cannons against Philippine ships during resupply missions. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News

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Fishers group PAMALAKAYA

ABS-CBN News

<p>MANILA — The Philippines should have a consistent policy on the West Philippine Sea, a geopolitical analyst said Tuesday, adding the country’s protests against China’s activities and policies in Philippine waters should continue.</p><p>Speaking on ANC’s “Headstart”, De La Salle University international relations lecturer Don McLain Gill said the Philippines is “within it rights to protest and reject” a fishing ban that China is imposing in the South China Sea, including parts within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone and continental shelf.</p><p>The Department of Foreign Affairs on Monday said it has protested the ban “insofar as it includes the Philippines’ maritime zones over which the Philippines has sovereignty, sovereign rights, and jurisdiction.”</p><p>Gill said that China’s annual ban, which is meant to allow fish stocks to replenish, is ironic, given island-building and overfishing that have “exacerbating conditions of marine health in the greater South China Sea.”</p><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/KhQvAMA98HQ?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div><div><strong>‘DEEPER ALIGNMENT’</strong></div><p>He said that diplomatic protests “actively illustrate” the Philippines’ position on the West Philippine Sea, which is in “deeper alignment” with public sentiment and with the willingness of its security partners against Chinese activities in Philippine waters.</p><p>“Beijing is faced with a more resolute Philippines today that is doing as much as it can to secure its sovereignty and sovereign rights in the West Philippine Sea,” he said.</p><p>He said that this “deeper alignment” can help keep China from “exploiting” shifts in foreign policy and in the dynamics with allies and partners as it used to.</p><p>“Consistency is very much needed and consistency is something that we have had a problem with,” he said.</p><div><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/4/13/marcos-ph-agreement-with-us-japan-to-change-dynamic-in-region-2309">READ: PH agreement with US, Japan to &#x27;change dynamic&#x27; in region — Marcos</a></div><p>The Aquino administration filed an arbitration case against China’s nine-dash-line claim in 2013, but the Duterte administration played down the 2016 ruling on that case as it sought warmer relations with Beijing.</p><p>The election of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has seen more engagement between the Philippines and treaty ally the United States and other security partners.</p><p>The Philippines has also since taken a firmer stance on the West Philippine Sea, a position that Duterte warns could lead to conflict with China.</p><p>Gill added that Marcos has &quot;institutionalized&quot; the Philippines&#x27; position on the West Philippine Sea but warned that &quot;old habits die hard&quot; as he stressed the need for consistency in policy.</p><p>&quot;I believe we are on the right track, the challenge is now to maintain consistency,&quot; he said.</p><p>Although they have welcomed the government&#x27;s firmer stance on the West Philippine Sea, groups like Bagong Alyansang Makabayan and the P1NAS coalition warn against being caught in the middle of competition between the US and China. </p><div><strong>FISHERFOLK REJECT CHINESE BAN</strong></div><p>Meanwhile, the Zambales chapter of fisherfolk group Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (PAMALAKAYA) said it will defy China’s ban, which it said cannot apply to Philippine waters.</p><p>“Insulto at hindi katanggap-tanggap na ang China pa ang magpapatupad ng fishing ban para diumano sa konserbasyon ng karagatan, samantalang sila ang nagsasagawa ng mapanirang aktibidad tulad ng reklamasyon at iligal na pamamaraan ng pangingisda,” Joey Marabe, PAMALAKAYA-Zambales provincial coordinator, said.</p><p>(It is insulting and unacceptable that China will implement a fishing ban supposedly for the conservation of the seas when they are behind destructive activities like reclamation and illegal fishing.)</p><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/LUI8rzbwKYs?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div><p style="margin-bottom:0px;line-height:normal;min-height:15px">It said that its members will conduct a “collective fishing expedition” off Zambales in response to the ban.</p><p>&quot;There is no better way to assert fishing rights in our exclusive economic zone than to conduct a collective economic activity,” Ronnel Arambulo, PAMALAKAYA national vice chairperson, said in the same statement.</p><p>The planned fishing expedition follows a civilian-led flotilla organized by the Atin Ito coalition to bring fuel and supplies to fishers near Bajo de Masinloc, which is also called Panatag or Scarborough Shoal.</p><p>According to the arbitral ruling of 2016, Bajo de Masinloc is a traditional fishing ground that no nation should bar fishers from the Philippines, Vietnam and China from. </p><div><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/regions/2024/5/27/atin-ito-urges-public-to-sponsor-payaos-for-west-philippine-sea-fishers-1530">RELATED: Atin Ito urges public to sponsor &#x27;payaos&#x27; for West Philippine Sea fishers</a></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO</strong></div><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable fr-active" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/SOrBPhVIZzs?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div>

<p>President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has "institutionalized" policy on the West Philippine Sea, analyst Don McLain Gill said but warned that "old habits die hard", referring to changes in foreign policy between administration. </p>

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has "institutionalized" policy on the West Philippine Sea, analyst Don McLain Gill said but warned that "old habits die hard", referring to changes in foreign policy between administration.

Consistency a challenge for West Philippine Sea policy: geopolitical analyst

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Consistency a challenge for West Philippine Sea policy: geopolitical analyst

ABS-CBN News

Published May 28, 2024 12:47 PM PHT

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Updated May 28, 2024 03:26 PM PHT

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West Philippine Sea

South China Sea

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