Kalayaan mayor wants development of marina, airfield

Manila, Philippines - The mayor of Kalayaan Island called on the national government yesterday to fast-track infrastructure and development projects in the area while strengthening the security of the country’s claims in the disputed island group in the West Philippine Sea.

Mayor Eugenio Bito-onon Jr. said the construction of a safe harbor as well as the repair of the Rancudo airfield on Pag-Asa Island would further solidify the country’s territorial claim over the Kalayaan Island Group within the Spratlys.

“I hope that our national government would immediately begin construction of a boat marina in Pag-Asa and the concreting of Rancudo airfield in the island also in support of our thrust in fishery and tourism in the area,” Bito-onon said.

Without these much-needed infrastructure, Bito-onon said the plan of the municipal government of Kalayaan to market the place as a key tourist destination, as well as its plan to build fish hatcheries in the area, would not be possible.

The center of Kalayaan town is located at Pag-Asa Island, the biggest among the several islets occupied by Filipino troops in the Spratlys.

At present, the town has 60 residents, mostly fishermen and their families. There are also soldiers deployed in the area as well as two policemen, and a six-man team from the Coast Guard team assigned in the island on a rotation basis.

“If our national government is having difficulty finding a civilian contractor to conduct such developmental projects in my town, I am volunteering my services to look for willing civilian contractors to do the projects,” Bito-onon said.

There were plans to fully develop Pag-Asa Island and other occupied territories in the Kalayaan Island group into a major tourist destination but civilian contractors are hesitant due to the remoteness of the place.

A boat ride on a Navy ship from Ulugan Bay, an area fronting the West Philippine Sea, to Kalayaan town in Pag-Asa Island would take about four to five days.

Bito-onon added a civilian vessel is plying the Puerto Princesa-Kalayaan route but has suspended its operation because of the absence of a safe harbor in Pag-Asa.

Bito-onon stressed he doesn’t want to see the territorial dispute in the West Philippine Sea turn into a full blown military conflict among the claimant countries in the region.

Bito-onon, however, admitted he personally wanted to deal with the continuing intrusions of Chinese vessels in the town.

“Out of desperation, sometimes it crossed my mind to confront these Chinese intruders and have myself taken in as their prisoner if only to make a point that the area is ours,” he said.

Bito-onon said that he has been constantly receiving complaints from local fishermen that Chinese vessels were harassing them.

On several instances, Chinese gunboats even confiscated fishing nets of the Filipino fishermen.

“It’s too much,” Bito-onon said, adding that the increasing Chinese intrusions and their illegal occupation of Mischief (Panganiban) Reef are already alarming to the country’s security.

Bito-onon also urged the defense department as well as the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) to maintain its presence in Recto (Reed) Bank, saying this is a strategic location.

Bito-onon lamented the Chinese now wanted to establish their presence at Recto Bank, after successfully occupying Mischief Reef in 1995.

Bito-onon warned the Chinese occupation of Recto Bank would cut the supply route to Kalayaan.

“Losing the Recto Basin to the Chinese also means losing all the islets under the Kalayaan municipality to include Pag-Asa Island,” he said.

The Philippine government has lodged a diplomatic protest against Beijing over a March 2 incident in Recto Bank, which is within Philippine territory, where two Chinese patrol boats reportedly harassed a local exploration vessel.

While remaining optimistic that a peaceful resolution can be achieved, President Aquino said the Philippines is preparing to file a report before the United Nations on some “six to seven instances” of Chinese intrusion or provocative actions in the West Philippine Sea.

The Chinese government had reiterated that there is nothing to claim on Spratly Islands, which they call Nansha, since it is rightfully theirs.

China has been asserting their historical right over the Spratly island group as against other countries, including the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan.

The Spratlys constitute 190 barren islets and reefs covering at least a 150,000-square mile area. The region is believed to be rich in oil and natural gas.

Puerto Princesa Bishop Pedro Arigo yesterday urged the President to immediately file a diplomatic protest before the United Nations to settle the dispute over the Spratly Islands.

Bishop Arigo said the best way to resolve the claims is to bring the issue before the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

“As soon as possible, I hope that they would file a protest to the apt UN panel that could rightfully resolve this matter,” Arigo said.

“What is happening now is that they are just provoking each other and exchanging words. Nothing will happen to that,” he added.

Arigo said Manila has a stronger case against Beijing since the island group is geographically closer to the Philippines.

“Once the evidence is presented, I strongly believe that we have a strong case and eventually the UN will declare us as the winner,” Arigo said. – With Evelyn Macairan