Just A Little Assertion

I admire Congress, both the House and Senate, for passing the Philippine Baseline Bill amidst protests and apprehensions of our neighboring countries that it would affect negotiations or talks regarding the Spratly Group of Islands, etc. Experts said that it was right for China to protest its passage because what was embodied in the bill is our rightful claim to the said groups of islands.

When the bill was passed, activities of China in the South China Sea were reported by different news agencies in the wire. There was a report that China had deployed warships in the Spratlys. Even a well-known Chinese columnist based in Hongkong had written a racist article because of his dismay. He coined Philippines as a country of servants. He even assailed that it’s ok that OFWs will not be tax by the host country so they could send it to Philippines and modernized our navy to attack China .

I can understand that he’s dismayed but Filipinos are not fool by attacking China or other countries even we have a mighty and powerful navy, air or military force. Filipinos are not arrogant. We are not aggressors. We only claim what is rightfully ours. Besides, it was a Filipino mariner and explorer who discovered these islands long time ago. The Filipino discoverer had sold this to the Republic of the Philippines during the Marcos administration. I saw an interview of the explorer’s daughter at ANC the other year.

The adoption of Kalayaan Island Group or Spratlys has been inked in the Presidential Decree No. 1596 issued by Pres. Ferdinand Marcos on June 11, 1977. It is stated in the decree why we had claimed these islands.

It is because this group of islands is believed to have mineral and oil reserves that Philippine neighboring countries including China had stake a claim.

Many feared that China will wage war against us. But why we should be afraid. No aggressor will ever win a war. They may kill many people, loot treasures and destroy properties but they could never win a war. A war is won in the heart of the people not by force.

By adopting the Baseline Bill, we had showed the world that no matter how small we are, i.e. AFP, we stand to protect what is ours.

The Philippine Baseline Act or Republic Act 9522 defines 24 nautical miles from our baseline as Philippine Territorial Zone, 200 nautical miles as our Exclusive Economic Zone and 350 nautical miles as our Exclusive Continental Shelf.

It has been two-months now since the bill was signed and I heard no news of new protest against it. We just need a little assertion. We should always stand our ground to protect our territory and exercise our sovereignty as an independent country.

Basta Pinoy, Hindi Basta-basta!