PHL, Vietnam navies to play sports in Pugad Island

The Philippine Navy and their Vietnamese counterparts will once again hold fellowship activities in Pugad Island (Southwest Cay), a Vietnamese-controlled feature of the disputed Spratly Islands.

According to Acting Navy spokesperson Captain Henry Quinto, goodwill games and other personnel interactions will take place on September 10. It was initially scheduled on August 30 but was moved due to inclement weather.

Football and volleyball are among the field games that are lined up for the one-day activity.

"These are fellowship activities na ginagawa natin to ensure na we have a cordial and very civil relations between nations. We are trying to ensure na walang animosity na nangyayari between our navies and in fact while the area is contested, [the] sum total of which ng relation natin is not limited dito sa issue dito sa contested area," Quinto said.

He added that the hosting of said annual activity is done alternately by the navies of the two countries.

Last year, it was the Philippines hosted the same event at the Parola Island (Northeast Cay).

It was held in the Southwest Cay in 2017.

Quinto said that the Philippine Navy is also trying to establish stronger ties with other claimants of the disputed area in the South China Sea.

"Little by little we are progressing with our interaction with them, siguro lang we cannot do so because 'yung some of the island features that they control is, hindi maka-accommodate... 'yung iba maliit lang, walang masyadong field na pwedeng pagdausan," he said.

China, Taiwan, Indonesia, and Brunei also claim ownership of the Spratlys, either in whole or in part. 

Spanish frigate

Meanwhile, a Spanish frigate arrived at South Harbor in Manila Thursday morning for goodwill visit.

The Spanish Navy ship Méndez Núñez is the second Spanish Navy ship to visit the country post independence period. The first visit was made by a Spanish Navy cruiser in 1927.

The visiting Spanish ship is manned by about 200 sailors under the command of Cmdr. Antonio Gonzalez del Tanago de la Lastra.

"Their interaction with the PN (Philippine Navy) will conclude Saturday and they will proceed to Baler Bay for the fifth Centenary commemoration of the first circumnavigation of the globe by Ferdinand Magellan and Juan Sebastian Elcano and the arrival of Spain in the Philippines," said acting Navy public affairs officer Lt. Cmdr. Maria Cristina Roxas.

Roxas said the goodwill visit "aims to develop and enhance the PN’s cooperation with Spanish Navy geared toward capability development."

"It further celebrates two countries’ deep historical ties and reaffirm diplomatic relations established in September 1947 which  have opened opportunities for economic, cultural and educational agreements," Roxas said.—LDF, GMA News