Palace: Contingency plans in place if Taiwan tension escalates

Malacañang on Friday said that contingency plans are in place in case the situation in Taiwan escalates.

''Tama po si DFA Secretary Lazaro na mayroon pong contingency plan, so nothing to worry. Kasi nagawa na rin po natin ito noong nagkaroon ng isyu ang Israel. Wala sa budget pero nakaya po natin,'' Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Atty. Claire Castro said in a briefing. 

(DFA Secretary Lazaro is right, we have a contingency plan, so nothing to worry. We did the same thing as regards the issue in Israel. It's not in the budget but we were able to do it.) 

No additional budget is needed, Castro said. 

Earlier, President Ferdinand ''Bongbong'' Marcos Jr. said the Philippines could be drawn into a conflict between the United States and China over Taiwan. 

On Thursday, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) reaffirmed the Philippines’ adherence to the One-China policy, saying that the country does not recognize Taiwan as a sovereign state.

At the hearing of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, Foreign Affairs Secretary Ma. Theresa Lazaro cited the 1975 joint communique of the Philippines and China, which she said “is foundational to the good relations of both countries.”

Manila does not have official diplomatic ties with Taiwan, a democratic self-ruling island which has been separated from the Chinese mainland since 1949.

The Philippines, however, maintains a de facto embassy in Taiwan, called the Manila Economic and Cultural Office or MECO, which is being led by lawyer Cheloy Velicaria-Garafil. —LDF, GMA Integrated News