DFA Chief Manalo seeks standard names for PH-claimed islands in WPS
"Signed National Maritime Council (NMC) Resolution No. 002 (2025) recommending the adoption of the standard set of Philippine names for 131 features of the Kalayaan Island Group (KIG) in the West Philippine Sea," said Manalo in one of his last moves as DFA Chief before stepping down on June 30.
Manalo, who will return as Manila's envoy to the United Nations in New York, will be replaced by Department of Foreign Affairs Undersecretary for Bilateral Relations and ASEAN Ma. Theresa Lazaro, the country's top negotiator to the Association of South East Asian Nations and China.
READ: Defending Our Territory: The West Philippine Sea
The KIG which the Philippines considers a municipality of Palawan province, is internationally known as Spratlys.
With six coastal countries claiming all or parts of the South China Sea and attaching their own names for claimed areas, the nomenclature has been part of the disputes and has sparked confusion for the rest of the world. International names have been adopted for most contested features.
In an administrative order by former president Benigno Aquino III in 2012, the Philippines officially named areas on the western side of the archipelago as the West Philippine Sea.
President Ferdinand Marcos in 2024 issued an executive order creating the National Maritime Council to formulate policies and strategies towards a unified, coordinated, and effective framework on maritime security and domain awareness.
Chaired by Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin, other members of the NMC are the Secretaries of the Departments of National Defense, Foreign Affairs, Agriculture, Energy, Environment and the National Security Adviser. —VAL, GMA Integrated News
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
GMA Network
3 hours ago
- GMA Network
US seeking Quiboloy extradition, sources say
Documents supporting the US request to extradite Quiboloy were transmitted to the Philippine Department of Justice in June this year, according to sources who have knowledge of the process, but spoke on condition of anonymity due to a lack of authority to speak on the issue. The United States is seeking the extradition of Filipino religious leader Apollo Quiboloy, who is wanted in the US for several charges, including child sex trafficking, engaging in sex with minors, fraud, and money laundering, Philippine government sources told GMA News Online on Wednesday. Documents supporting the US request to extradite Quiboloy were transmitted to the Philippine Department of Justice in June this year, according to sources who have knowledge of the process, but spoke on condition of anonymity due to a lack of authority to speak on the issue. Quiboloy, indicted by a US federal grand jury in 2021, landed on the Federal Bureau of Investigation's most wanted list, which identified the charges against him, such as conspiracy to engage in sex trafficking by force, fraud, and coercion, sex trafficking of children, and bulk cash smuggling. 'The US is seriously seeking the extradition request and taking the necessary steps with the Philippine government in bringing him to justice,' one of the sources said. An extradition treaty signed in 1994 by Manila and Washington states that "all requests for extradition shall be submitted through the diplomatic channel" and "shall be supported by documents, statements, or other types of information which describe the identity and probable location of the person sought." The Philippines is mandated under the treaty to promptly notify the US through the diplomatic channel of its decision on the extradition request. If the extradition request is granted, "the authorities of the contracting parties shall agree on the time and place for the surrender of the person sought," the agreement said. GMA News Online reached out to Philippine Ambassador to Washington Jose Manuel Romualdez for confirmation, but referred the request for comment to the DOJ. Comments have also been sought from the DOJ and the US Embassy in Manila, and these will be published as soon as they are available.
GMA Network
19 hours ago
- GMA Network
Collision of 2 Chinese vessels to be taken up in PH-China talks
The recent collision of two Chinese vessels in Bajo de Masinloc will be discussed in the upcoming bilateral consultation mechanism between Manila and Beijing, which will be hosted by the Philippines this year, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said. 'The issues on the bilateral is always discussing everything on the South China Sea. And this is the mechanism that really works because we are the channel of communication,' said DFA Secretary Theresa Lazaro. A week after the incident, warships of Philippines, Australia, and Canada conducted a joint sailing last August 17 near Lubang Island in Mindoro as part of the Philippine-Australia Alon Military Exercises. The Philippine Navy believes that such joint sails with allied countries is effective against coercion by China. 'The presence of foreign warships and aircraft forces a change, results to a slight change in their action. We noticed that there are no coercive or aggressive actions each time there are foreign warships in our maritime domain,' said Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad, Navy spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea. When asked if the Navy should already get involved in actions against the aggressions by China, Trinidad said: 'The premise itself is speculative in nature….In between that, the details of that, we leave it up to the unified commander. But the AFP will always be there to render assistance when needed, if needed.' But a security analyst is worried that China may retaliate against Philippine forces. 'They have to show that you cannot just get away by causing China to lose face. There will be consequences…'yung nakitang Chinese Coast Guard vessel sa mouth ng Manila Bay, I heard the Chinese Coast Guard is planning to conduct patrol…just within our 12 nautical miles territorial waters….' said Renato de Castro. 'May lumalabas ngayon na inorder yata ng Chinese Coast Guard to see to it, that they will ensure that our Coast Guard could never leave the 12 nautical miles territorial waters,' he added. For its part, the National Maritime Council that the warships of the Philippine Navy will not be allowed to tag along with the Philippine Coast Guard in Bajo de Masinloc. 'Napakaliwanag ng direktiba ng ating Pangulo, hindi tayo magpo-provoke kasi we do not know what will happen if there two Navy vessels are there. Kasi doon pwede mangyari yung miscalculation, yung misjudgement,' said NMC spokesperson Alexander Lopez on Monday. '...and if it ever escalates, it is not to the best interest of our country,' he added. –Vince Angelo Ferreras/NB, GMA Integrated News
GMA Network
a day ago
- GMA Network
Malaysia urges PH gov't, MILF to work together after group defers decomissioning
"This is something that the parties will have to resolve among themselves," Malaysian Ambassador Malik Melvin Castelino said in a chance interview on the sidelines of a diplomatic forum hosted by the Asia Society. Malaysia on Tuesday urged the Philippine government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front to "work together" to resolve their differences after the MILF postponed the disarming of its remaining fighters, claiming commitments under a 2014 peace deal have not been fully implemented. "This is something that the parties will have to resolve among themselves," Malaysian Ambassador Malik Melvin Castelino said in a chance interview on the sidelines of a diplomatic forum hosted by the Asia Society. Malaysia was the facilitator of the peace process between the Philippine government and the MILF, which led to the signing of a peace deal, the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB), in March 2014. The accord, which ended decades-old armed conflict in Mindanao, was expected to usher in more investments in the region's ailing economy, transform it into a tourism hub, and provide jobs. Castelino said he has already reached out to concerned parties to discuss the matter. Under the Malaysian-brokered peace deal, the MILF agreed to give up its aspiration for a separate Muslim state in the southern Philippines in exchange for autonomy. The MILF's 40,000 fighters would likewise be decommissioned and provided livelihood, a commitment the group said had not been complied with by the government. Presidential Assistant for Bangsamoro Transformation David Diciano belied the MILF's claims that the government substantially failed to deliver on its socio-economic commitments. A final batch of 14,000 MILF combatants has yet to disarm. The peace agreement replaced an autonomous region comprised of five provinces in Mindanao, establishing a larger Bangsamoro region temporarily governed by former MILF leaders under a transition period that will end after the conduct of elections in October. "We want all parties to come together. That's the most important part," he said, adding Malaysia is hopeful that the peace accord will be fully implemented. "We are confident in the parties who are coming together in the spirit of understanding," Castelino said. –NB, GMA Integrated News
