Philippines Stands Up to China on South China Sea Slug: Philippines-China territorial dispute REPORTERS: Jofelle Tesorio and Ariel

Carlos DATE: 02 Dece !er 20"2 #$TRO: China la%s clai to parts of the South China Sea& o'erlapping areas clai ed !% the Philippines& (ietna & Tai)an& *runei and +ala%sia, There are thought to !e significant oil and gas reser'es !elo) parts of the dispute Sea, #n recent %ears& tensions o'er the issue ha'e increased, And China has !eco e ore asserti'e o'er it-s clai s, The Philippines has tried to get ASEA$ to !ac. their clai s !ut the% failed to get the support of all the e !ers, So the% are no) turning to their po)erful all% the /nited States for help, Jofelle Tesorio and Ariel Carlos tra'eled to Pala)an )here regular /S and Philippine ilitar% e0ercises are !eing held, TE1T AT+OS: /S and Philippine ilitaries inspecting socio-ci'ic pro2ects e !ers of the /nited States ilitar%,

At this ti e of %ear Pala)an is full of The% are here for the annual 2oint

ilitar% e0ercises called *ali.atan,

3ieutenant 4eneral Juancho Sa!!an o'erseas the Ar ed 5orces in Pala)an, SA**A$ C3#P " 6+A3E& E$43#S78: 9*ali.atan is ainl% held to enhance our interopera!ilit% )ith an allied nation such as the /nited States Ar ed 5orces,,, :e are finishing so e parts of it )hich is the hu anitarian aspect of it )hich is the construction and repair of schools,; This is the nearest pro'ince to Spratl% and Paracel& a group of disputed islands and atolls in the South China Sea, SA**A$ C3#P 2 6+A3E& E$43#S78: 9The% !enefit fro our e0perience& )e !enefit fro their technolog%, The essence is for us to !e a!le to interact )hen e0igencies dictate that )e should !e together in a !attlefield,; #n Jul% this %ear& the Philippine and Chinese na'ies )ere loc.ed in confrontation in Scar!orough Shoal& 2ust "00 iles fro the Philippines and <00 iles fro China, Pala)an Pro'incial legislator Rolando *onoan& Jr, sa%s the% feel the tension,

*O$OA$ C3#P " 6+A3E& E$43#S78 9:ell& if %ou are as.ing if )e feel the pressure in the dispute& %es& in a sense that this area for e is a flashpoint, #t can ignite a )ar !et)een countries in Southeast Asia later on, And it also threatens our so'ereignt% in our clai ed areas,; 3ast %ear& Chinese na'% gun!oats reportedl% harassed a state 5ilipino oil e0ploration 'essel in the Spratl% group of #slands, And t)o onths later Chinese ships erected steel posts and !uilding part of the disputed islands, The Philippines clai s the islands !ecause the% are closest to the , And the% ha'e =ala%aan local go'ern ent offices on the island, Eugenio *ito-onon& Jr, is the a%or of =ala%aan, aterials in another

*#TO-O$O$& JR, C3#P " 6+A3E& E$43#S78: 9Since # ca e in ">>?& )e ha'e the air strip@ And then )e ha'e a light house& a unicipal hall& )e ha'e a clinic, :e ha'e a police station, :e ha'e a po)er plant& housing units and then )e ha'e a !as.et!all court, *ut )e ha'e li.e a unicipal garden area for 'egeta!le and the rest are ostl% staff house and other !uildings li.e ulti-purpose !uildings,; The =ala%aan local go'ern ent on the islands )as created in ">?A, Around B<0 people li'e there along )ith <0 soliders, +a%or Eugenio *ito-onon )ants to pro ote touris on the islands and is !uilding a pri ar% school to encourage ore people to li'e here, *#TO-O$O$& JR, C3#P 2 6+A3E& 5#3#P#$O8: 9Right no) )e ha'e se'en students in .indergarten and one in 4rade One, # started this !ecause if # could funds fro the go'ern ent ne0t %ear to i pro'e educational facilities& the fa ilies )ill not !e disunited, The% )ill sta% together in =ala%aan !ecause the children li'e in the ainland )ith their grandparents and relati'es )hile their parents a.e a li'ing in =ala%aan, The school )ill integrate and consolidate the in =ala%aan,; +ala%sia& *runei& (ietna Sea, and Tai)an also ha'e o'erlapping clai s in the South China aps sa%ing Chinese acti'ities in the area dates ap that include territories

China-s clai s are !ased on its historical !ac. to 2&000 %ears ago,

Recentl%& China issued passports sta ped )ith a Chinese clai ed !% other countries,

3ieutenant 4eneral Juancho Sa!!an can-t accept this, SA**A$ C3#P B 6+A3E& E$43#S78 9#t-s see s li.e !ri!er% )hen %ou i pose a in a passport, Of course& )hen the% enter the Philippines& %ou ha'e to sta p it )ith arri'al, +eaning to sa% %ou ha'e accepted alread% )hat is inside the passport, The Philippines and other clai ant countries ha'e sent a diplo atic protest o'er the passport ap, The% ha'e also refused to sta p the ne) Chinese passports, *ut it-s a tough !alancing act for the Philippines gi'en the econo ic and of China, ilitar% po)er ap

And that-s )h% the Philippines relationship )ith the /nited States is so i portant& sa%s la) a.er Rolando *onoan& Jr, *O$OA$ C3#P 2 6+A3E& E$43#S78: 9This *ali.atan e0ercises& though the original intent is reall% to train our ar ed forces and pro'ide the )ith ore technical s.ills@ *ut ha'ing it done in Pala)an of course )ill gi'e a signal to those other countries& particularl% to those potentiall% aggressi'e countries )ho )ant to control so e of the territories that )e clai that )e ha'e an all%@; :ith Ariel Carlos in Pala)an& Philippines& this is Jofelle Tesorio for Asia Calling,