Are we being led to war? Batanes interlude

It is a truism that unless we are fully aware of the implications of events, we would not act intelligently. And not being aware, we will follow the herd. This is happening now with partisan media highlighting news to color our views on the Spratly dispute. Neither the US nor China will go to war on the islands dispute but they can “make war” which is quite different.  The Philippines is a convenient ally to use for the purpose without confronting China itself.

Take this story headlined “Standoff continues, Philippines and the US play war games.” The implication is that the US will go to war to protect the Philippines. So the Philippine government under the leadership of Aquino plays the game to pretend that it will fight off China because the US will be behind it. That’s what war games are playing at. But the US and China are not making war noises. The Philippines is. It displays a laughable ancient warship as its weapon for war but … here is the big but. The US is behind it. Or is it really?

It may be a laughing matter but think of how many wars come from unintended accidents.

The Philippine armed forces chief said without embarrassment that “regional disputes and security issues in the South China Sea would be dealt with by strengthening military ties with the United.” That is neat. Shouldn’t we know why we are being led to war?

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The Chinese Embassy spokesman answered some questions. We are not taking sides, but we certainly can be better informed. He says that “the Huangyan Island has been the traditional fishing ground of Chinese fishermen for generations.”

Recently, 12 Chinese fishing boats were harassed by a Philippine Navy ship in the lagoon of Huangyan Island in the morning of April 10. The Chinese side lodged representations with the Philippine side.

As far as the Chinese are concerned Huangyan Island is China’s territory. “It is China that first discovered this island, gave it the name, incorporated it into its territory, and exercised jurisdiction over it,” he added.

“The Philippine territory is set by a series of international treaties, including the Treaty of Paris (1898), the Treaty of Washington (1900) and the Treaty with Great Britain (1930), none of which ever referred to Huangyan Island or included this island into its territory. Until 1997, the Philippine side has never disputed China’s jurisdiction of and development on Huangyan Island. On the other hand, the Philippines indicated on a number of occasions that Huangyan Island was beyond its territory.

“According to the international law, including United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), the Philippines’ claim of the jurisdiction rights and sovereignty rights over Huangyan Island with the arguments of Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) is groundless.

“UNCLOS allows coastal states to claim a 200-nautical-mile EEZ, but coastal states have no rights to infringe on the inherent territory and sovereignty of other countries. The Philippines asserts that Huangyan Island is closer to its territory, but in fact “geographical proximity” has long been dismissed by the international law and practice as the principle of the solution of territory ownership.”

Both sides agreed to settle the incident through diplomatic means. In view of the complex situation in that area, which involved Navy ship, public service vessels, and fishing boats, China’s fishing boats left on April 13 in order to help defuse the situation.

“Departing from our good will of developing friendly relations with the Philippines, we are ready to engage in further discussions with the Philippine side and try our best to settle the incident properly,” he added.

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Over the week, I was in Batanes. It was a welcome respite from life in Manila, its pollution and its poisoned politics. My daughter, Al Jazeera’s Veronica Pedrosa heard of it from friends in Bangkok and thought it was worth a try … especially because it now had a small hotel with five-star accommodations — Fundacion Pacita Abad. So off we went to this place I had only seen from Mandy Navasero’s beautiful pictures. The reality surpassed even the best photography.

Going to Batanes, meeting the Ivatans and knowing their culture were like entering a time warp. Some of the guides said that it is believed that the Ivatans came from the same group of indigenous people from Taiwan but this is still in dispute.

Whatever their origins, the Ivatans have preserved their culture. A symbol of their preserved culture is the typical Ivatan house made of stone to stand the force of typhoon winds that often visit the place. The stones are patched together by a mixture of lime (dead corals) paste. The roofs made of cogon endemic to Batanes. (CNP: A Japanese anthropologist Omoto made genetic studies of the Yami in Orchid Island.)

They may be no different from Filipinos in other islands but the Ivatans are so honest they have an “Honesty Café.” You can buy some souvenirs or drink coffee or soft drinks and leave your payment in a small box. (According to the Ivatan guide, an honesty café was attempted in the Ateneo but it failed.)

Batanes should be a template for tourism in the Philippines because it is not just about beaches or malls or condos. It is just beautiful country with rolling hills and water all around and a history. There are several tours. I was not brave enough to take the Sabtang tour because it meant a dangerous ride on a boat without outriggers that brings you to turbulent waters between the Pacific Ocean and the South China Sea. 

I did join the tour to what they called “Marlboro Country.” It was the site for dozens of grazing cows feeding on undulating hills of grass. From afar it seemed they did a lot of mowing on the hills, checkered with hedges. No. They did not mow the hills to look like lawns. It was the cows’ grazing that smoothened the grass on the hills. They eat only part of the grass as if to cut only the top. Hedges were used to ward erosion.

As Manilans used to comfort we were happy with our stay in the Fundacion surrounded by Pacita Abad’s paintings. She has exhibited around the world.

If we never left the hotel room with its five-star comforts we would still have had the view of hills upon hills and the wide blue sea from our veranda. At night we had a starry, starry sky. I got some wild flowers including wild blueberries that grow in Mt. Iraya. I am hoping I can grow these in Batangas.