Teodoro warns: Future generations risk losing WPS resources

Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. on Wednesday delivers his remarks during the 97th founding anniversary celebrations in Oroquieta City. INQUIRER / GABRYELLE DUMALAG OROQUIETA CITY, Misamis Occidental – Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. on Wednesday warned that future generations of Filipinos could lose access to the country’s maritime resources if the Philippines fails to defend its rights in the West Philippine Sea (WPS). Teodoro said the country would increasingly need to rely on the sea for resources to sustain its development. READ: Teodoro: Ex-President Duterte ended oil talks with China, not me “’Yung mga kailangan natin na resources para mag-asenso, hindi na natin mahahanap sa lupa. Kailangan pumunta tayo sa dagat,” Teodoro said during his remarks at the 97th founding anniversary celebrations in Oroquieta City. (The resources we need for development can no longer be found on land. We need to turn to the sea.) “Kaya pinaglalaban natin ang 200 nautical mile exclusive economic zone natin sa West Philippine Sea, sa Pacific Ocean na mas malaki pa, na makuha natin ang fish, ang mga isda, at ang mga oil and gas na nandoon sa ilalim para sa kinabukasan ninyo,” he added. (That is why we are fighting for our 200-nautical-mile exclusive economic zone in the West Philippine Sea and the larger area in the Pacific Ocean, so we can benefit from the fish and oil and gas resources there for your future.) Teodoro warned that others could benefit from these resources if the Philippines failed to protect its maritime rights. “Kung ubusin namin ’yan, hindi namin labanan ang West Philippine Sea, wala na matitira sa atin. Iba na ang makikinabang,” he said. (If we exhaust those resources and fail to defend the West Philippine Sea, nothing will be left for us. Others will benefit instead.) Speaking to reporters afterward, Teodoro described the West Philippine Sea as a key driver of the country’s future development. “The West Philippine Sea is a catalyst for development,” he said. “Ngayon, kung we sit back and relax, eh walang mangyayari. Kailangan ipaglaban natin,” he added. (Now, if we sit back and relax, nothing will happen. We need to fight for it.) His remarks came amid a renewed dispute with Beijing over joint oil and gas exploration in the West Philippine Sea. On Tuesday, Teodoro rejected the Chinese Embassy’s accusation that he had obstructed joint exploration efforts, pointing out that former President Rodrigo Duterte terminated negotiations in 2022 over constitutional concerns. The Philippines and China signed a memorandum of understanding on possible oil and gas cooperation in 2018, but talks ended without a final agreement. Teodoro also reiterated Wednesday that joint exploration with China would be illegal, citing constitutional concerns and the 2016 arbitral ruling, which invalidated the legal basis of Beijing’s sweeping claims to historic rights in the South China Sea. China continues to reject the ruling. /jpv The post Teodoro warns: Future generations risk losing WPS resources appeared first on Inquirer.net .