BY IME SORNITO & RHENJIE MARIE CALANTAS
ILOILO City – Hearing multiple reports about the Chinese Coast Guard’s incursions into the West Philippine Sea and restrictions on Filipino fishermen, Ilonggos said it is high time the government does something.
“Kalain na sang ila (Chinese Coast Guard) mga napang-obra sa mga mangingisda nga Pinoy, gapanakit na sila ya,” said Ronel Comeda.
The store worker from La Paz Public Market added: “Kinanglan ta gid na protektahan ang West Philippine Sea (WPS) para indi mabuol ka China kay aton ina ya.”
Also from La Paz Public Market, fish vendor Rolly Girao said Filipino fishermen are suffering and will suffer more because the Chinese are in the area.
“Sa Presidente ipanawagan ta nga depensahan niya ang property sang Pilipinas kay aton na ya. Paano ang pangabuhi-an sang mga tawo sina kay sila ya ga-mayor? Kwaon nila ang produkto, baligya man gyapon sa Pinas, kundi hinaslo,” Girao expressed.
Amadeo Dola, a public utility jeepney driver of the Zarraga-Bangga Bante route, said he is willing to help in any way he can to assert the country’s claims over the rich natural resource.
“Ang West Philippine Sea, sa atin ‘yan. Kahit maginamo, sa atin ang West Philippine Sea,” Dola asserted.
He added that the national government should not allow China’s aggression towards Philippine troops or fishermen and civilians.
Dola also believes American soldiers currently in the WPS should remain.
Similarly, Rosalyn Tundag of Alimodian town said the WPS is clearly in the territory of the Philippines.
“Aton na ya ang teritoryo ang WPS. ‘Di ba may na-aprubahan na ina sang UN san-o? Aton na ya, aton ya panindugan ang aton,” said Tundag.
She was referring to the 2016 Hague ruling, based on the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, or the “Constitution of the Oceans,” that struck down China’s expansive claim over the WPS.
On July 12, 2016, the Philippines won the arbitration case it lodged against China. The Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague, Netherlands invalidated Beijing’s nine-dash line claim that covers nearly the entire South China Sea.
As such, Sonia Panggi, a vendor, said the national government should not back down when the country has the rightful claim in the first place.
“Ngaa ihatag sa China kon iya na sang Philippine territory? Dapat ipakigbatuan gid ang China. Mapaubos na lang kita?” said Panggi.
Rey Ian Lago, a civil engineering student of Iloilo Science and Technology University (ISAT U), said China should respect the arbitral tribunal’s ruling.
“This is where we cement our stand; it is never a matter of us being a smaller country than China in terms of ammunition or its ability to defend itself; rather, it is a battle for our sovereignty over our waters so that we may be able to help our fishermen who depend their lives on the very water that China is exploiting right now,” said Lago.
He added: “This far, no further, to turn a blind eye against the aristocracies of China with its claims on our sea is an invalidation to the thousands of lives and opportunities that depend on this vital string of water.”
Fresh college graduate Christine Mae P. Tan of Iloilo City said the same.
“Every time mabatian ko na sa TV ang muna nga issue… always ko na-comment ngaa indi gid na makuha sang Philippines? Ara naman nga nagapakita nga aton gid ina. Pero I know it’s not that easy kay may mga proseso ina,” she said.
Tan believes the national government should pump up its efforts so Filipino fishermen can safely benefit from WPS.
“Need gid nga gaan sang effort sang aton government. Effort nga gina-prioritize nila kung ano mayo para sa mga Filipino. Effort nga makahatag assurance nga maprotektahan ang mga local against the Chinese,” she added.
Meanwhile, Carl Joseph Acanto, an Architectural Drafting Technology student at ISAT U, said sharing is one thing, but claiming and exploiting is injustice.
“Puede ka share resources since lapitanay lang man sa boundary pero if agawon nila, hindi. Kay may mga Filipino nga naga-istar lapit dira, main means of living nila ang pangisda,” he said.
Pedicab driver Tiborcio Panelo from Barangay Zamora-Melliza admitted the Philippines lags behind China when it comes to hard power or military and economic influence.
“Wala kita may mahimu kay wala kita ya kapangyarihan. Sundon ta na lang kung ano gusto nila kay wala man ta batu. Pero kung ako lang syempre tani aton ina kundi kwaon ta pero maano kita ‘bi kay bug-at ni ang China,” said Panelo.
Nevertheless, he wanted the WPS and Filipinos to be protected.
“Kinanglan ta gid na protektahan eh kay aton ina pero wala kita may mahimu kay gina-agaw gid nila bisan pa nga bal-an man nila ng aton ina,” Panelo added./PN
