Latest news with #JinggoyEstrada
GMA Network
4 hours ago
- Politics
- GMA Network
Senators after latest WPS incident: We will not be cowed
China Coast Guard vessel 3104 prepares to use its water cannon vs PCG's BRP Suluan near Bajo de Masinloc in West Philippine Sea, August 11, 2025. PCG At least three senators on Monday maintained that they will continue defending Philippine sovereignty following the recent dangerous maneuvers of a Chinese vessel against a Philippine ship at Bajo de Masinloc or Scarborough (Panatag) Shoal. Senate President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Estrada, chairperson of the Senate committee on national defense and security, peace, unification and reconciliation, condemned the incident, calling on the Chinese Coast Guard to cease and desist from engaging in such acts against the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) and other Philippine maritime vessels. 'These tactics not only endanger our maritime personnel and fisherfolk—they also escalate tensions unnecessarily. Nothing good will come of such actions, except the empty display of logistical superiority,' Estrada said in a statement. Earlier in the day, the PCG said a Chinese vessel fired a water cannon at a Philippine vessel during a mission to aid Filipino fishermen in Bajo de Masinloc in the West Philippine Sea on Monday morning. Aside from water cannoning, Chinese vessels also conducted hazardous maneuvers and blocking actions against Philippine vessels that led to a collision between China Coast Guard (CCG) vessel 3104 and People's Liberation Army Navy (PLA Navy) ship 164. Estrada called the incident a 'classic case of reaping what one sows.' 'Nonetheless, we will not be cowed. We will continue to defend our sovereignty, protect our people, and uphold the rule of law,' he added. Meanwhile, Senate Majority Leader Joel Villanueva said that the incident 'only shows the peril our troops face in asserting our rightful jurisdiction on our waters.' 'We reiterate to the Chinese Coast Guard and fishing militia: Your continued presence and operation at the West Philippine Sea is illegal and unauthorized. The West Philippine Sea is ours. Get out of Philippine waters!' Villanueva said. Senator Risa Hontiveros, for her part, expressed hope that China would take the incident as a lesson, saying that the collision between their two vessels proves that 'Beijing's own actions are reckless, and endanger their own people.' 'Kahit ano pang panghaharass ng China, hinding-hindi nila maiaalis ang katotohanan na atin ang West Philippine Sea,' the lady senator said. (Despite these harassments by China, they would never take away the fact that the West Philippine Sea is ours.) Hontiveros also called on the government to support the Filipino fishermen to the 'fullest extent possible" and allow them continued access to their traditional fishing areas in the Bajo de Masinloc. 'It is also crucial that we maintain a year-round maritime law enforcement presence to safeguard our fisherfolk,' she added. — RSJ, GMA Integrated News
GMA Network
3 days ago
- Politics
- GMA Network
Jinggoy urges agencies to verify report Chinese ships blocked BFAR vessel
Senator Jinggoy Estrada on Friday called on government agencies to verify a report that Chinese militia vessels bloced a Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources ship en route to Sandy Cay in the West Philippine Sea. Estrada, chairperson of the Senate committee on national defense and security, peace, unification and reconciliation, expressed concern over the report, saying it is a "serious breach" of the country's sovereign rights if proven true. "I urge the concerned agencies to validate this information, as the incident—if verified—would constitute a serious breach of our sovereign rights and harassment of a Philippine-flagged vessel conducting a legitimate monitoring mission within our own maritime domain," he said in a statement. "Hindi natin dapat hayaan na ma-normalize ang ganitong pangliliit sa ating karapatan at ang paglalagay sa panganib ng ating mga kababayan (We should not normalize this act of belittling our rights and endangering our people)," he added. On X (formerly Twitter), maritime security expert Ray Powell said BRP Datu Romapenet reversed course while en route to Sandy Cay after it was impeded by three Chinese ships. "At 0745 local time, Philippine fisheries ship BRP Datu Romapenet left Pag-Asa (Thitu) Island in the direction of Sandy Cay," he said. "It was impeded by at least 3 of China's maritime militia ships. At 9:00, it reversed course and returned to Pag-Asa. No further details yet available," he added. Estrada said the Department of Foreign Affairs should lodge a diplomatic protest and assert the country's rights once the incident is verified. "Our kababayans deserve nothing less than a government that firmly stands its ground in asserting our sovereignty and defending our nation's interest," he added. GMA News Online reached out to BFAR, Philippine Coast Guard, and Philippine Navy for comment on the matter and will publish it once available. China claims almost the entire South China Sea, a conduit for more than $3 trillion of annual ship-borne commerce, including parts claimed by the Philippines, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia and Brunei. In July 2016, the UN Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague, based on a case filed by Manila, junked China's nine-dash line claim covering the entire SCS. Beijing has refused to acknowledge the ruling. —Sundy Locus/AOL, GMA Integrated News
GMA Network
04-08-2025
- Politics
- GMA Network
Jinggoy seeks accountability from DPWH over fallen Isabela bridge
'This incident is more than a structural failure. It is a failure of governance. It exposes weaknesses in our systems, weaknesses that will persist if we refuse to confront them with transparency and resolve,' Estrada said. Senate President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Estrada on Monday questioned the lack of accountability on the part of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) nearly six months after the collapse of the P1.2 billion Cabagan-Sta. Maria Bridge in Isabela. In his privileged speech, Estrada emphasized that aside from the truck driver, design consultant, and bridge contractor, there should also be public officials who exercised oversight functions that must be held accountable for the collapse. 'Why is there no mention of disciplinary actions against these supervising officials whose approval and oversight, or lack thereof, enabled this tragedy? Mr. President, wala tayong nabalitaan na nasuspinding opisyal ng DPWH na may kinalaman sa proyektong ito. Wala rin tayong nabalitaang inimbestigahan sila upang panagutin,' the Senate president pro tempore said. (Mr. President, we have not heard that any DPWH official was suspended concerning this project. We've also not heard that any official was investigated to be held accountable.) 'This incident is more than a structural failure. It is a failure of governance. It exposes weaknesses in our systems, weaknesses that will persist if we refuse to confront them with transparency and resolve,' he added. Estrada urged the DPWH to take full responsibility and accountability on the matter, not just by pursuing private contractors, but also by holding its officials who were involved in the planning, approval, and implementation of the project liable. 'Explain the approval process, identify the lapses in monitoring and enforcement, and most importantly, assure the public that this will never happen again—not through promises, but through concrete reforms in design, review, safety compliance, and project oversight,' he said. On February 27, a portion of the bridge that connects the town of Cabagan to Santa Maria in Isabela province collapsed, leaving six people injured. The DPWH said the bridge can only accommodate up to 44 tons, which is far from the weight of the truck, which was 100 tons. President Ferdinand 'Bongbong' Marcos Jr. visited the collapsed bridge a week after the incident and noted that it had a 'design problem.' But the engineer behind the bridge refuted this, asserting that the structure adhered to the Bridge Code of the Philippines. During the Senate Blue Ribbon subcommittee's investigation in March, Senator Alan Peter Cayetano expressed belief that the collapse of the Sta. Maria-Cabagan Bridge was not an 'accident,' as he presented several reports from the DPWH and a private construction firm that claim to show there are defects in the bridge even during its construction. –NB, GMA Integrated News
GMA Network
10-07-2025
- Politics
- GMA Network
Catholic schools favor reform over repealing SHS program
Catholic schools in the country have opposed the proposal to remove senior high school (SHS) from the K to 12 program, calling the move 'untimely' and 'dangerously shortsighted.' In a statement, the Catholic Educational Association of the Philippines (CEAP) and the CBCP Episcopal Commission on Catholic Education (ECCE) said in a joint statement the proposed measure threatens the 'vision rooted in equity, global parity, and holistic learner development.' "Reform, not repeal, is the only rational and just way forward,' the groups said. 'Flaws in execution should not be mistaken for flaws in the framework,' the groups added. The CEAP and ECCE proposed that instead of abolishing the program, the government should expand and strengthen the SHS Voucher Program so that more learners could enroll in senior high school. To address the graduates' employment readiness, CEAP said curriculum tracks should be aligned to market demands by strengthening partnerships between schools and the industry. The regional centers of excellence should also guide struggling schools by upskilling SHS teachers and reforming a job-relevant curriculum. 'Rather than breaking what is still being built, the government should commit to a full review of SHS implementation and institute reforms where necessary without sacrificing its gains,' CEAP said. 'Reverting to a 10-year cycle would dismantle existing structures, waste public and private investment, and once again send Filipino students into college or the workforce underprepared,' it added. Senate President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Estrada has filed a measure seeking to rationalize the basic education system by removing the SHS, as it 'still has not fully achieved its goal' to produce skilled and job-ready graduates 12 years after the Enhanced Basic Education Act of 2013 was enacted into law. Education Secretary Sonny Angara earlier acknowledged the lapses in the implementation of SHS but said it is up to the Congress to continue to abolish the program. 'Hindi maganda ang naging implementation nitong nakaraang dekada. Masyadong marami ang subjects at nakahon masyado ang mga bata. Hindi sila nakakapili ng subject/s,' Angara said in a statement. (The SHS' implementation in the last decade has not been good. There were too many subjects and the learners were constrained. They were not able to choose subject/s.) — BAP, GMA Integrated News
GMA Network
26-06-2025
- Politics
- GMA Network
Jinggoy seeks Sandiganbayan's travel clearance for US trip
Senate President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Estrada has asked the Sandiganbayan to allow him to travel to the United States (US) for 22 days. In a motion filed by Estrada to the Sandiganbayan Fifth Division, Estrada asked for travel clearance for a visit to California and Nevada in the US from July 6 to 27. Estrada needs a court clearance before traveling, as he is still facing 11 counts of graft charges in connection with alleged misuse of discretionary but public funds worth P183 million, officially known as the Priority Development Assistance Fund or pork barrel. The anti-graft court, however, deferred decision on Estrada's motion pending his submission of a return flight ticket and a detailed itinerary. Estrada, who only appeared before the court online and was represented by his lawyer, Noel Malaya, said he will comply with the court's order. 'I will provide them to my lawyer,' Estrada said. —VAL, GMA Integrated News
