PHL lags in infra dev't over disputed West Philippine Sea

The Philippines remains behind its Asian neighbors with competing claims over the West Philippine Sea in terms of infrastructure development in the disputed area, a national security analyst said Tuesday.

 

"All claimants, except the Philippines, has engaged in infrastructure development in the South China Sea (West Philippine Sea)," Professor Rommel Banlaoi, head of think tank Philippine Institute for Peace, Violence and Terrorism Research's Center for Intelligence and National Security Studies, said during the Red Cross Awards for Humanitarian Reporting at the Bayleaf Hotel in Manila.

 

So far, Vietnam has built the most number of structures in the disputed waters at 21, followed by the Philippines with nine, China with seven, Malaysia with five, and Taiwan with one.

 

In terms of quality, however, the buildings erected by the Philippines in the islands within its territorial waters have now "deteriorated" and can best be described as "modest" compared with what other claimant-nations have built in the disputed area, Banlaoi noted.

 

"From the latest photographic evidence, China, Malaysia, Taiwan, and Vietnam have invested their resources to erect solid and more stable structures in their occupied areas," the security analyst said.

 

"The Philippine structures in its nine-occupied territories remain modest and in the dismal stage of rapid deterioration," he noted.

 

Philippines occupies seven islands in the West Philippine Sea, including Pag-asa, Likas, Parola, Lawak, Kota, Patag, Panata, and the reefs Rizal and Ayungin.

 

Among the countries that intensified their presence in the disputed territory, Banlaoi cited China as increasingly developing its facilities.

 

He said his own findings surprised him, particularly with regards to China. “And it hurt my national pride on how China has developed its facilities," Banlaoi added.

 

In 1995, Chinese-made structures in Mischief reef back were mere bamboos. There are now several buildings, a basketball court, and a helipad, Banlaoi said.

 

China even erected a lighthouse atop the small Subi reef, Banlaoi noted.

 

In Sansha city located in South China's Hainan province, China has built a city with military and bureaucratic personnel and a civilian population.

Grassy dirt runway

 

"China's occupied areas are all reefs but with solid and... cemented structures," Banlaoi said.

 

In contrast to the sprawling runways and three-story buildings of other countries, the Philippine version is a dirt runway with grass, decrepit maritime bases, and rusty naval vessels, Banlaoi said.

 

In Pag-asa island, the runway was overgrown with grass that goats were grazing right on the runway, Banlaoi said.

 

"When I visited the island in 2009, they are raising goats there. Now I can see the reason: because of tall grasses. It's deteriorated already," he added.

 

An earlier report by GMA News' Maki Pulido said the Philippines built huts in disputed areas where Philippine Navy personnel takes shelter.

 

Banlaoi also showed a photo of a rusty ship in a modest facility for the Navy assigned at Ayungin Shoal.

 

The Philippines occupy the most number of islands, with vegetation fit for human habitation "if properly developed," Banlaoi said, Kota, Lawak, Likas, Pag-asa and Parola islands.

 

Because of the lack of development, Banlaoi said at the least the Philippines gained the reputation as being the "most environmentally friendly in the South China Sea."

 

Armed Forces of the Philippines spokesperson Brig. Gen. Domingo Tutaan earlier said Banlaoi is entitled to his opinion.

 

"His opinion is not what we're doing... We have monitored the developments there, that's why there's a protest filed before the United Nations body, so we can have a peaceful ending to this issue," Tutaan said.

Dotted with various reefs, islets and island, West Philippine Sea is believed to harbor untapped oil and gas reserves. — VS, GMA News