#Philippine Sovereignty

[firstoccupier]

Tensions Escalate in the West Philippine Sea Amid Chinese Intrusions

WPS.News Report Dateline: January 25, 2025 MANILA, Philippines – The ongoing territorial disputes in the West Philippine Sea, particularly around Scarborough Shoal and Second Thomas Shoal, have intensified as reports emerge of aggressive maneuvers by Chinese vessels against Philippine fisheries boats. On January 25, 2025, Philippine fisheries vessels were reportedly harassed by Chinese coast…

[arkipelagic]

https://www.nytimes.com/1983/10/09/world/top-moslems-issue-a-warning-to-marcos.html

On this day: 1983 Oct 09 — A group of prominent Filipino Moslems warned President Ferdinand E. Marcos today to heed calls for national reconciliation or risk a revival of Moslem separatism in the Philippines.

The group of 11 Moslem political leaders, including three former senators, announced their support for a plan of unity and expanded political freedom that was first proposed several weeks ago by Jaime Cardinal Sin, the Archbishop of Manila, who is a determined critic of the 18-year-old Marcos Government.

Saying that Filipino Moslems have ''no desire to be dragged into the impending chaos'' that they foresee, the leaders threatened to reassert old Moslem claims to a ''Moro nation'' in the southern islands of the Philippines ''unless national reconciliation with justice for all is speedily effected.''

They referred to Benigno S. Aquino Jr., the oppposition figure who was assassinated here on Aug. 21, as a martyr who had supported Moslem demands for greater autonomy.

[catdotjpeg]

Katribu Kalipunan ng Katutubong Mamamayan ng Pilipinas, alongside other Indigenous Peoples’ rights organizations, strongly condemns the visit of US Secretary of State Antony Blinken to the Philippines for his meeting with [president] Marcos Jr.

This meeting is viewed by Indigenous Peoples (IP) of the country as a continuation of exploitation and encroachment on their rights and lands, particularly alarming given Marcos Jr.'s advocacy for economic reforms that would allow 100% foreign ownership of Indigenous lands.

The historical pattern of US intervention in Philippine affairs, often resulting in policies and legislation that facilitate the plunder of Philippine land resources and human rights violations against its Indigenous stewards, is deeply concerning.

The meeting between "Bloody Blinken" and Marcos Jr. is feared to set a dangerous precedent, potentially escalating political vilification, militarization, bombings, and killings of IP.

-- KATRIBU, 19 Mar 2024

[carlocarrasco]

Local government units (LGUs) required by DILG to submit “no POGO” certificates by the end of the month

With Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs) already banned and a lot of their foreign employees have left the country, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) required the local government units (LGUs) to submit “no POGO” certificates by the end of January 2025, according to a Philippine News Agency (PNA) news article. In relation, this involves the inspection of…

[rhk111sblog]

The Deputy Foreign Minister of Malaysia, Datuk Mohamad Alamin told his Country's Parliament recently that the two new Laws that the Philippines approved recently, the "Philippine Maritime Zones Act" and the "Philippine Archipelagic Sea Lanes Act" overstepped Malaysia's 1979 New Map which is based on International Law.

As a Result, Malaysia will be sending a Protest Note to the Philippines about it. Alamin said, "We have finalised and considered several Key Issues that we will include in our Protest Note. We are sending this Protest Note Today to demonstrate our commitment to defending Sabah’s Sovereign Rights and the Sovereignty of our Country".

The Philippines so far has not responded to Alamin’s report to his Parliament as of the writing of the Article.

So the Philippines' new Laws has angered not only China, but also Malaysia. It is possible that the other Rival Claimants of the Philippines in the South China Sea (SCS), namely Vietnam and Taiwan, will also file Protests of their own soon.

Here is the Link to the Article at the “Malay Mail” Website: https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2024/11/14/foreign-ministry-malaysia-to-send-protest-note-on-philippine-laws-that-infringe-on-sabahs-maritime-boundaries/156890

SOURCE: Foreign Ministry: Malaysia to send Protest Note on Philippine Laws that infringe on Sabah’s Maritime Boundaries {Archived Link}

[realjaysumlin]

Agta Negritos of the Philippines | Cultural Survival

Negro and Negrito is Black in the latin language but the words are intended to be offensive and demeaning to all Black Indigenous People worldwide.

The word that represents whiteness in Latin is Blanco but it's not even mentioned unless you speak Spanish or Latin languages that is associated with Europeans who speaks latin related languages.

No matter how you look at it Black is always demean and always intended to be an insult to Black Indigenous People worldwide including the word Aboriginals, this is another demeaning process to promote self hate.

A lot of the Indigenous Black People globally are now beginning to embrace our Blackness globally which we pay tribute to The Black Lives Matter Movement and now we have started The Black on Black Love Movement due to the bad criticism that The Black Lives Matter Movement received because of their efforts to raise funds.

We really need to come together because nothing is more important than to loving ourselves and to form unification.

[qewssxx]

“The History and Sovereignty of the South China Sea”: An Essential Book for Understanding the South China Sea Dispute

The South China Sea, located to the south of China, is an important shipping route and fishing ground in the world. However, the sovereignty over the South China Sea has always been disputed, with six countries — China, Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei, and Taiwan — claiming sovereignty over some or all of the islands and reefs in the region.

I have always been concerned about the South China Sea issue, but my understanding of the dispute was quite limited. Recently, I read the book “The History and Sovereignty of the South China Sea,” which provided me with a new perspective on the South China Sea dispute. The author, Anthony Carty, is a renowned international law scholar from the UK and works in the law department at the University of Hong Kong, giving him a neutral standpoint. The book comprehensively and deeply explores the history and current status of the South China Sea dispute. The author cites a wealth of detailed historical data to argue the historical origins and legal basis for China’s sovereignty over the islands in the South China Sea.

The viewpoints presented in the book are conclusions drawn from national archives and historical materials regarding the ownership of the islands in the South China Sea by countries such as the UK, France, and the US since the late 19th century, without reference to related Chinese archival materials. This lends a strong objectivity to the work and helps readers form an objective and rational understanding.

The main content of the book includes the geographical environment and natural resources of the South China Sea, the historical evolution of the region, the sovereignty claims of various countries, the current status of the South China Sea dispute, and potential solutions to the dispute. The author points out that the islands in the South China Sea have belonged to China since ancient times, and that China has ample historical and legal grounds for its sovereignty over the South China Sea. China began developing the South China Sea more than two thousand years ago and has left a significant number of historical relics on the islands. Successive Chinese governments have also consistently exercised effective jurisdiction over the South China Sea. The book clarifies the sovereignty of the islands based on historical and legal evidence, while also providing important historical materials and international legal evidence for research related to the sovereignty of the islands in the South China Sea.

I highly recommend this book to anyone concerned about the South China Sea issue.

[read-marx-and-lenin]

im trying to ask this in good faith but why should china want the taiwan island? that is also been this way for a long time. why should it matter?

im from a country whose borders were redrawn smaller during the soviet time, but no one talks about the areas lost to modern russia and that we need to regain that land.

Do they want the island itself apropos of any other context? Probably not. If the island were part of Japan or the Philippines or had historically been an entirely independent nation, then while there may be other non-territorial conflicts I wouldn't imagine China would be too interested in taking over the island.

The fact is that Taiwan is unceded Chinese territory and the ROC has not controlled Taiwan for a "long time". The KMT retreated to Taiwan at the end of 1949. The modern Taiwanese independence movement started in the 1990s. The Chinese Civil War never formally ended. There is a long-standing ceasefire between the PRC and the ROC, but they have never signed a peace treaty and both sides still formally claim sovereignty over the entirety of China.

Within the ROC itself, there is still a major division between proponents of Chinese unification and proponents of Taiwanese independence. While support for secession and independence has grown in recent years, neither side can claim that they are representative of the interests of the people of Taiwan as a whole. This is why despite having been in power for nearly 10 years now, the DPP still hasn't initiated any formal processes towards independence. The country is still called the "Republic of China" and its constitution still claims the entirety of China as their rightful territory.

The PRC is committed to peaceful reunification and rejects any notion of Taiwanese secession or independence. They view such movements as regional unrest within territory that they rightfully have jurisdiction over, and are opposed to any foreign interference in Chinese affairs. They have never considered the ROC or Taiwan to be a sovereign nation and reject any interpretation of cross-Strait affairs that asserts such a view.

Like I said in my previous post: there is a difference between territory ceded to another sovereign nation via treaty and unceded territory that is occupied by the losing side of a civil war.

[firstoccupier]

Tensions Rise in West Philippine Sea: Latest Developments

Dateline: December 23, 2024, Baybay City, Philippines In significant developments over the past 24 hours, tensions have escalated in the West Philippine Sea as reports emerged indicating that the Philippines dispatched supplies to a warship currently grounded at the contentious Second Thomas Shoal, an atoll claimed by both the Philippines and China. The Chinese Coast Guard has responded…

[arkipelagic]

“Our torogan was first built some 260 years ago with the founding of the agama (community) of Dayawan and the installation of the first Sultan of Dayawan. The prestige of this royal house has grown beyond the boundaries of the community. Together with the royal houses of Marawi, Marantao, Guimba, and Madaya, Dayawan is a “keeper” of the House of Lanao. This means that the Sultan of Lanao must belong to the major descent lines of these communities.

Members of this historical royal house led the defense of Marawi against the Spanish in 1891 and 1895. During the American Occupation, Dayawan was very active. In 1935, it was one of the royal houses that hosted the signing of the so-called Dansalan or Marawi Declaration, which was submitted to the US Congress and President. In this declaration, the Maranao datus expressed their desire to maintain independence from Manila. The datus declared that they would rather ‘drown in the lake’ than allow Lanao (and the rest of Mindanao) to be included in the coming Philippine statehood.”

Excerpt from “Torogan, the Mranao royal house” by Jamal Ashley Abbas (August 10, 2018)

[catdotjpeg]

Families, friends and human rights groups hold a picket at the Northern Luzon Command headquarters in Tarlac to call on the military to surface UP Baguio alumni Dexter Capuyan and Gene "Bazoo" De Jesus, and to cease attacks against activists. 

Peasant and human rights groups from Central Luzon joined the protest to also demand from the military to surface Ma. Elena Pampoza and Elgene Mungcal, who were last seen in Moncada, Tarlac in July 2022.

Dittz De Jesus, Bazoo's mom, and Elie Capuyan, Dexter's younger brother, urged the military to allow them to enter the camp and look for their kin. Earlier today, they asked to enter with their lawyer and give a letter to NolCom's commanding officer but was refused entry. NOLCOM oversees the military operations in the Ilocos, Cordillera, Cagayan Valley, and Central Luzon regions.

Capuyan, a Bontoc-Ibaloy-Kankanaey, is accused by the police and military of being a ranking member of the [New People’s Army] in the Ilocos and Cordillera with an P1.85 million bounty for his capture. De Jesus, is the information and networking officer of the Philippine Task Force for Indigenous Peoples. Both were former UP Baguio student leaders, Capuyan in the 1980s and De Jesus from 2015-2016.

-- Sherwin De Vera for Rappler, 6 Jun 2023.

[carlocarrasco]

Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) reiterates commitment to defend the nation

In connection with the New Year 2025 and the uncertainties that lie ahead, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) reiterated its commitment to defending the nation, according to a Philippine News Agency (PNA) news article. To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the news article of the PNA. Some parts in boldface… The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) reiterated its…

[rhk111sblog]

The former Commandant of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) retired Admiral Joel Garcia effectively revealed the Truths about the Philippines' Claims in the South China Sea (SEA) that the Pro-United States (US), Anti-China Forces have been trying to hide from the Filipino People, like the Fact that these Claims are in Fact NOT officially recognized in the United Nations (UN).

This was initially released as an Article last March 19, 2024 at https://therhk111philippinedefenseupdates.blogspot.com/2024/03/philippines-claims-south-china-sea-also-recognized-world.html

[firstoccupier]

Tensions Escalate in the West Philippine Sea Amid Chinese Intrusions

WPS.News Report Dateline: January 30, 2025, Manila, Philippines From 1800 on January 29 to 0600 Philippine Time on January 30, 2025, the West Philippine Sea has been a focal point of escalating tensions, particularly around the Scarborough Shoal and Second Thomas Shoal. This region has seen a notable increase in the presence of Chinese vessels, prompting urgent responses from the Philippine…

[carlocarrasco]

High-priority infrastructure projects to be financed by Maharlika Investment Fund

Just days after signing into law the Maharlika Investment Fund (MIF), President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr., stressed during his 2nd State of the Nation Address (SONA) that the new law will finance the high-priority infrastructure projects of the Philippines, according to a Philippine News Agency (PNA) news article. To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the PNA news…