What to do with Philippine-controlled territories in Spratlys?

The Spratlys is composed of 19 islands, 14 shoals, 6 banks, 113 submerged reefs, 35 underwater banks, and 21 underwater shoals.

Of the 52 landforms in the Spratlys, only 10 are controlled by the Philippines, namely the islands of Patag, Kota, Lawak, Likas, and Pag-asa, the reefs of Balagtas, Rizal, and Ayongin, as well as the Panata and Parola cays. Only Pag-asa is occupied by about 500 Filipinos with a mayor and a local government. If we do not occupy the rest, they might soon be grabbed by China or Vietnam or even Malaysia or Taiwan.

Vietnam controls 21 islets and reefs, China has 7 reefs, Taiwan has one big 43-hectare island they call Taiping Island, among the Aba Group along the Tizard Bank. Malaysia has 7 reefs, including one with a luxurious resort and another with a naval base. Vietnam controls and occupies the following: Spratlys, 13 hectares; Southwest Cay, 12 hectares; Sim Cowe Island, 8 hectares; Sand Cay, 7 hectares; Namyit Island, 5.3 hectares; Amboyna Cay, 1.6 hectares; Grieveson Reef, 1.6 hectares; West London Reef, 1.10 hectares; Central London Reef, 88 hectares. The Philippine-controlled Patag is Flat Island, which is just .57 hectares. Kota is Loaita Island and is 6.45 hectares. Lawak is Nanshan Island, 7.93 hectares. Likas is West York Island and is 18.6 hectares. Only Pag-asa or Thitu Island and a 37.2-hectare island is occupied by about 300 Filipinos. If we do not populate the other island, they will most probably be grabbed by China or occupied by Vietnam or Malaysia.

The municipality of Kalayaan is based in the island of Pag-asa. Its land area is 290 square kilometers or 111.97 square miles. It is located 280 nautical miles northwest of Puerto Princesa, Palawan. It is 932 kilometers or 579 miles southwest of Metro Manila. It has a working local government unit, a fifth-class municipality with an annual revenue of P59,743,684.44 and annual operating budget of P47 million. It has a simple municipal hall in Pag-asa Island and an airstrip being used by the military, and a five-bed lying in clinic with a doctor and a nurse. It has a police force and a contingent of the armed forces. It also has an elementary school and a small market and a chapel. Its electricity is provided by the self-managed Kalayaan Municipal Electric System. The town was founded on June 11, 1978. In the year 2016, it had 391 registered voters. Its incumbent mayor is Roberto M. del Mundo and the vice mayor is Hermoso Ornopia.

The area of Kalayaan apparently includes the other islands, but the rest do not have any inhabitants yet. We thus propose that we send Filipinos to the islands of Patag, Kota, Lawak, and Likas, and occupy Panata and Parola, as well as plant our flag in Balagtas, Rizal, and Ayongin. If you ask me where we shall find people who are interested to go there, I have an answer but don't laugh at me or peremptorily dismiss this proposal as nonsense. I propose that we send our convicted felons in the New Bilibid Prisons in the National Penitentiary, and there are about 26,877 of them who are occupying prime land, comprising 551 hectares of strategically-located real estate in the City of Muntinlupa. Out of 551 hectares, 104 hectares had been transferred to the Department of Justice for a housing project for DOJ officials and personnel. That leaves 447 beautiful land for development and sale to the private sector.

I propose further that the 447 hectare land be developed via joint venture with Ayala or Megaworld, or whoever, by public bidding. And this should be called the new Education City, where all the universities, colleges, and public and private schools be relocated, complete with high-rise world-class dormitories for students and faculty and support staff. All students should be “detained” there and be allowed to come home only when they have a diploma or a degree. This will solve the traffic problem in Metro Manila and make education synergistic and empowering. Faculty members can walk from one university to another and it can be administered by a Dick Gordon- or Mike Rama-type administrator, with Cabinet rank.