On the initiative of Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Benjamin “Benhur” Abalos, local government units (LGUs) facing the South China Sea will be tapped as areas pivotal to the whole-of-nation protection of our country’s sovereign rights in and around our own West Philippine Sea (WPS). Abalos welcomed the statements of support signed by the respective local chief executives of the LGUs whose jurisdictions are the immediate surrounding areas at the WPS.
This was actually the culmination of the four-day National Summit on the WPS that the DILG Secretary first convened in Manila in August 2023 upon the imprimatur of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. (PBBM). PBBM and Abalos had served as LGU heads in the past.
PBBM served once as Ilocos Norte governor for almost 12 years while Abalos as mayor of Mandaluyong City for almost 15 years. As governor and mayor respectively, both PBBM and Abalos obviously are guided by their experience on the LGUs’ role in pushing the goals and aspirations of the national government leadership.
Abalos recalled the summit was attended by more than 500 officials, both online and onsite, from 115 municipalities and nine cities in the 10 provinces, civil society groups and members of the academe and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) representatives.
“They (LGUs) came together to express support in safeguarding the Philippine seas,” Abalos cited.
Abalos noted with pride the expression of nationalism and patriotism of all the participants. “During the summit, it was highlighted by the formulation of provincial actions as their commitment to paving the way for a more secure, sustainable, prosperous future for the West Philippine Sea,” he added.
To Abalos, this demonstrated the Filipino people’s resolve on the WPS. “We have received manifestations and resolutions from the LGUs, expressing their support to protect the West Philippine Sea,” Abalos cited.
According to DILG Assistant Secretary for International Relations Lilian de Leon, the LGU heads reported they are now ready to submit their respective provincial action plans aligning them with the national government’s efforts to keep the WPS safe and open, especially to our Filipino fisherfolk. These provinces include La Union, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, Batanes, Bataan, Zambales, Batangas, Palawan, Occidental Mindoro and Pangasinan.
De Leon pointed out the DILG has adopted this “soft strategy – strengthening local leadership and governance and empowering communities to address food security, livelihood, preservation and protection of the environment and marine biodiversity,” down at the level of the LGUs. She announced that these provincial action plans will be rolling out this May 2024 “for the implementation, operationalization and institutionalization of the agreement during the first ever National Summit for West Philippine Sea.” In turn, the national government led by the DILG will integrate them into the overall WPS national strategies.
“Because of this summit, we formulated a national plan of action in support of the national government, in support of the National Security Council (NSC),” she added. “Secretary Abalos felt that what is being done is more on the defense side, which is very important,” De Leon stressed.
The DILG secretary is one of the key members of the NSC, the highest policy-making body on national security matters that is chaired by the President.
Speaking of the NSC, perhaps it is about time for PBBM to convene anew the NSC to consider the developments in the WPS, especially the growing aggressive actions of Chinese Coast Guard vessels to drive us out from our own 200-mile exclusive economic zone (EEZ). Now on his 19th month in office at Malacañang Palace, PBBM could draw from the best of minds on how to de-escalate the rising tension with Beijing on our disputed overlapping maritime borders at the South China Sea.
Aside from the Vice President, relevant Cabinet members, key leaders of Congress and top military and police officials as well as private sector representatives, the NSC also requires the presence and attendance of former presidents of the Republic. We still have three living presidents, namely, former president Joseph Estrada; ex-president and now Pampanga Rep.Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and ex-president Rodrigo Duterte.
Not unless PBBM is trying to avoid face-to-face meeting with his immediate predecessor. Supposedly enjoying his retirement at his home residence Davao City, ex-president Duterte has been sniping at PBBM with bitter diatribes. Like PBBM, ex-president Duterte served longest at the LGU as Davao City mayor for nearly two decades.
By convening the NSC, PBBM would also have the opportunity to clarify in person with Mr. Duterte on the much ballyhooed “gentlemen’s agreement.” Beijing has been claiming about the so-called “gentlemen’s agreement” that ex-president Duterte entered into with his Chinese counterpart President Xi Jinping.
In fact, the Chinese embassy in Manila has repeatedly referred to this purported “special arrangement” between the Philippines and China. And lately, they claimed a supposed “new model” that Beijing wants the Marcos administration to follow. Among other things, it supposedly forbids all Philippine government vessels and aircraft to enter the 12 nautical miles of Scarborough Shoal.
Locally called Panatag Shoal, the rich fishing grounds located at Bajo de Masinloc in Zambales supposedly also bars our Filipino fishermen from entering the shoal lagoon under the same “special arrangement.” Likewise, Beijing has also been insisting for the Philippines to comply with its “official commitment” to tow BRP Sierra Madre out of our Ayungin Shoal, also located at the WPS.
As it stands, our Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) and the Department of National Defense-Armed Forces of the Philippines (DND-AFP) have all consistently shot down Beijing’s “narratives.” Without any official proof of the existence of such “gentlemen’s agreement,” in writing or verbal recording, our government won’t budge on Beijing’s bluff.
PBBM has already declared he is “rescinding” that agreement, if there is any. The House of Representatives is set to conduct a public hearing on the Duterte-Xi secret deal. Opposition Senator Risa Hontiveros had earlier filed a Senate resolution also calling for a legislative inquiry into it. But there are “strong reservations from some senators” to grill ex-president Duterte.
The NSC could be the vehicle for this whole-of-nation action for the WPS.