While China continues with the construction of structures in the highly-contested Spratly Islands in the West Philippine Sea, the Philippine government held in abeyance the improvement of its structures in the islands it occupies to avoid tension.
No less than President Benigno Aquino III ordered status quo in the areas claimed by the Philippines, Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin told the Senate finance committee Friday during the hearing on its proposed budget for 2015.
“We got specific instruction from the President not to desert the status quo. We have funds for the improvement but this is now being held in abeyance because of the case we have filed. It might affect the case that we have filed before the international tribunal,” he said.
One of the projects still waiting the President’s go-signal is the improvement of the dilapidated Pag-asa airport.
Aside from the Philippines and China, other countries claiming ownership over islands in the West Philippine Sea—a major trading route where undersea oil and gas deposits have been discovered—are Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan.
The budget hearing is ongoing, as of posting time. —KG, GMA News
