"Anyone can be a valid tourist anywhere," she said. "These are tourists, they’re not there for other reasons." Albert said Vietnam does not seem to have violated the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea signed in 2002 by member-states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and China.
A Foreign Affairs Department official said scuba diving could be the only tourism activity possible in the Spratlys because there are no physical structures there for tourists.
Vietnam has yet to confirm its plan to allow tourists to the Spratlys.
The Philippines and Vietnam, along with Taiwan, China, Brunei, Malaysia are claiming parts of the Spratly islands.
Meanwhile, the Philippines is set to open a consulate in Dubai, the commercial center and the second largest emirate of the United Arab Emirates.
Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Jose Brillantes said Albert will formally open the consulate on Tuesday at the Philippine Overseas Labor Office in Dubai.
At present, embassy officials and staff have to travel for about two hours from Abu Dhabi to provide consular services to the estimated 60,000 Filipinos in Dubai.
Once opened, the consulate will also cover the UAE’s northern emirates of Sharjah, Ajman Ras Al Khaimah, Fujairah, and Umm Al Quwain. — Marvin Sy