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Escudero seeks P100-M budget allocation for Ayungin buildup
Senator Francis Escudero said he will propose the allocation of at least P100 million in the 2024 national budget to fund the construction of permanent structures over the Ayungin Shoal in the West Philippine Sea "to strengthen the country's presence in the contested maritime territory.” "I will propose the allocation of a minimum of P100 million to fund the construction of a pier and lodging structures for our soldiers assigned in the area, and for our fishermen who might seek temporary refuge in times of bad weather," Escudero said. The senator said the structures could serve as permanent lodging for military personnel stationed at the old BRP Sierra Madre, a warship intentionally grounded in the shoal in 1999 as a Philippine military outpost. He added that the Ayungin facilities could be used as temporary shelter for foreign fishermen “who will be caught in bad weather” in the waters. “It will welcome fishermen in distress with warm accommodations and not with a blast of the water cannon. It is there to help and not to harass,” he added. The BRP Sierra Madre is currently the center of the latest tensions due to the blocking and water canon firing of China’s vessels to the Philippine ships. Escudero pressed the need to hasten the building of the structures in the Ayungin Shoal saying "Sierra Madre's greatest enemy is nature, and it will soon be lost to the sea. Kinakalawang na (Being rusted). Our soldiers should not die from tetanus.” "It's being beached there was supposed to be an ad hoc measure. After almost one-quarter it is time for a permanent solution," he said, suggesting that parts of the structure can be prefabricated on land and be brought there “so there will be no China style of fortification in which the environment is permanently damaged.” Meanwhile, Escudero noted that his proposal “is not designed to anger China or bring us closer to the brink of war.” “This is just to give the president flexibility to act as the chief architect of our foreign policy as he deems fit. Otherwise, we will have to wait another year if he decides to do so sometime next year without any budget cover," he said. In a separate interview, Escudero also expressed willingness to help the Philippine Coast Guard to augment its intelligence fund allocation in the 2024 national budget so it can help them effectively perform their duties in protecting and defending the country's territorial waters. “I will look into the fact if we can augment--not from the Capital Outlays, Personnel Services or from the Maintenance and Other Operating Expenses—but from the intelligence and confidential budget already proposed by the DBM,” he said. The post Escudero seeks P100-M budget allocation for Ayungin buildup appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Gilas: ’24 Paris games on mind
Coach Chot Reyes wants the Gilas Pilipinas pool members to have Paris on their minds as they continue with their pre-FIBA World Cup buildup in China......»»
DITO packaging $1.17-B China loan
DITO Telecommunity Corp. expects to complete the renewal of its $1.175-billion loan from Bank of China and the China Minsheng Bangking Corp. this year. “The bridge facility is to be repaid and absorbed via a $3.9 billion project finance long-term facility currently being finalized by DITO Tel’s senior management, with target closing this year,” DITO parent company DITO CME Holding Corp. said in a stock report on Friday. Early this year, DITO said it will pursue capital infusions on top of cost-cutting measures to prevent losses from piling up. According to DITO, telecommunications is a capital-intensive business due to the required infrastructure for its network operations. With only three years in operations, the company is still not yet profitable given this nature. P27-B capex for year For this year, the company plans to only spend P27 billion to bankroll network buildup and commitments to the government. Although the capital expenditure allotted was way lower than the P50 billion spent last year, the company said it is still within the spending range committed to the government as the third telco. In September 2022, DITO passed its third government-mandated technical audit measuring its compliance with its network coverage and internet speed commitments. As part of the issuance of its Certificate of public convenience and necessity in July 2019, DITO needs to record 70.01 percent network reach with a minimum speed of 55 Mbps in the third year of its commitment period. If DITO fails to fulfill its commitments on time, the government forfeits, in its favor, the P25.7 billion performance bond that DITO paid before construction activities. DITO has promised to cover 84 percent of the Philippines and offer a minimum average speed of at least 55 Mbps by the end of its commitment. The post DITO packaging $1.17-B China loan appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Top US Military Officer Warns of Arms Race in Western Pacific
Washington - The top U.S. military officer is warning of a growing arms race in the western Pacific, as nations become increasingly concerned about China's military buildup in the region following Russia's invasion of Ukraine.'There's a really an underreported arms race going on in the western Pacific right now. These countries are arming themselves up, and they very much, with very few exceptions, want the Unit.....»»
Top US Military Officer Warns of Arms Race in Western Pacific
Washington - The top U.S. military officer is warning of a growing arms race in the western Pacific, as nations become increasingly concerned about China's military buildup in the region following Russia's invasion of Ukraine.'There's a really an underreported arms race going on in the western Pacific right now. These countries are arming themselves up, and they very much, with very few exceptions, want the Unit.....»»
Filipina rescued from mail-order bride syndicate
The Bureau of Immigration rescued a suspected victim of a mail-order bride syndicate, targeting Filipinas sent to China under false pretenses......»»
US reaffirms support for Philippines sovereignty amid its tensions with China
Washington, DC [US], March 28 (ANI): US Secretary of Defence Llyod Austin has reaffirmed Washington's commitment to Manila in defending its sovereignty while criticising China's "dangerous" water cannon attack at the Philippine supply mission vessel on Saturday. In a telephonic conversation between Austin and his Philippine counterpart Gilberto Teodoro, the US Secretary reiterated the US-Philippines Mutual Defence Treaty.....»»
Philippines announces decisive measures amid tensions with China
Manila [Philippines], March 28 (ANI): Amid the escalating tensions in the South China Sea, Philippine President Ferdinand R Marcos Jr has announced decisive measures to protect his country's sovereignty and maritime rights while ensuring peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific. Marcos, known as Bongbong, said that the measures, aimed at addressing what he said is the "open, unabating, and illegal" actions by China's Coast.....»»
China urges ROK to stay prudent on South China Sea issue: Chinese FM
BEIJING, March 28 (Xinhua) -- China urges the Republic of Korea (ROK) to stay prudent when it comes to the South China Sea issue, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said on Thursday. Lin made the remarks at a regular press briefing when responding to a media query about ROK Foreign Ministry Spokesperson's biased and unfactual comments on the South China Sea issue over the past few days. "China.....»»
Chinese Diplomat Liu Jianchao Meets With Singapore s Leaders
singapore - Liu Jianchao, the senior diplomat widely expected to become China's next foreign minister, said "the world needs connectivity, not decoupling," during a four-day visit to Singapore.Liu, who heads the international department of the Communist Party, was in the city-state to meet with Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and the country's incoming leader, Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong.During a s.....»»
Philippines’s Marcos pledges action in response to China’s ‘dangerous attacks’
President Ferdinand Marcos of the Philippines has issued a strong statement in response to recent confrontations in the South China Sea, stating that the country.....»»
Akbayan to Sara: You don’t have to be president to speak vs China
MANILA, Philippines — Party-list group Akbayan said on Thursday that Vice President Sara Duterte does not have to be a president of the country for her to call out China’s intrusive actions over the West Philippine Sea (WPS). Empathy and a moral backbone is just what it takes to stand up with fisherfolk and frontline.....»»
China: PH is ‘straying down a dangerous path’
MANILA, Philippines — China continued to blame the Philippines and its ally, the United States, for the continued tensions in the disputed West Philippine Sea. In a statement on Thursday, Chinese Ministry of National Defense spokesperson Wu Qian warned that the Philippines is going down a dangerous path. READ: No letup in Chinese water cannon attacks.....»»
Roque bares Duterte, China agreement to respect status quo in WPS
Roque bares Duterte, China agreement to respect status quo in WPS.....»»
Marcos: Philippines won’t be ‘cowed into silence, submission’ by China
“We seek no conflict with any nation, more so nations that purport and claim to be our friends but we will not be cowed into silence, submission, or subservience. Filipinos do not yield,” Marcos said. .....»»
Pentagon chief reaffirms support after latest China aggression in WPS
Austin emphasized US support for the Philippines in defending its sovereign rights and jurisdiction in a phone call with Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro on Wednesday. .....»»
Comelec says systems can thwart foreign interference
The Commission on Elections is preparing to defend its servers from attempts to hack it in the 2025 midterm polls, its chairperson announced on Wednesday......»»
Dela Rosa considers war with China but admits: ‘Hindi naman natin kaya’
MANILA, Philippines — Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa is already fed up with China’s persistent harassments in the West Philippine Sea, prompting thoughts of engaging in war with Beijing. But he knows, war is not an option. “Naubos na ang sasabihin ko dapat dyan. Short of declaring war na tayo dyan against sa kanila e,.....»»
FOCAP condemns Chinese embassy’s claims on ‘manipulated’ West Philippine Sea videos
The Foreign Correspondents Association of the Philippines strongly rejected and condemned yesterday China’s “false and baseless” claims that journalists manipulate videosthey recorded in the South China Sea to present the Philippines as a victim......»»
Roque: Xi, Duterte agreed to keep West Philippines Sea status quo
The Philippines under former president Rodrigo Duterte had a “gentleman’s agreement” with China to keep the status quo in the West Philippine Sea, a former Cabinet official said yesterday, as fresh tensions surround the WPS due to recent incursions by Beijing that targeted a Filipino resupply mission and a research team......»»