5-8-2023 (MANILA) The Philippines is preparing to conduct joint patrol operations with the United States before the end of 2023, as confirmed by an official from the National Security Council (NSC).
During a national summit, NSC Assistant Director General Jonathan Malaya stated that while some logistical issues are still being addressed, he remains optimistic that these challenges can be overcome. In a report by GMA news program “24 Oras,” Malaya expressed confidence in resolving the remaining issues.
“May mga logistical issues pa na nireresolve. May mga ina-iron out pang mga issues but I don’t think these are insurmountable,” stated Malaya on Friday.
When asked about the specific commencement date for joint patrols in the West Philippine Sea, Malaya responded, “I would think before the end of the year.”
Meanwhile, at the summit, an official from the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) raised the possibility of discovering “a new Malampaya” in the West Philippine Sea.
“We would like to push for the creation of the West Philippine Sea authority,” stated BFAR Fisheries Resource Management Division Chief Noemi Lanzuela on Friday.
Lanzuela emphasized the importance of accelerating the exploration, development, and utilization of energy resources in the West Philippine Sea in order to secure the country’s energy needs and contribute to achieving carbon neutrality.
The Malampaya gas field, previously considered the country’s largest commercial gas discovery, had been providing 20% of the Philippines’ energy requirements until last year. However, it is projected to be fully depleted by 2027.
Malaya clarified that the pursuit of interests in the West Philippine Sea was not about challenging China but rather centered on ensuring that the Philippines and its people benefit from the region.
“We are doing this because we want the Philippines and the Filipino people to benefit from the West Philippine Sea,” affirmed the NSC official.
In February, a US navy chief stated their commitment to conducting joint maritime patrols with the Philippines in the disputed South China Sea, as part of US efforts to strengthen military alliances in the region and beyond.
While former President Rodrigo Duterte showed a preference for China over the Philippines’ former colonial master, the new administration under Ferdinand Marcos Jr. appears to be taking a different approach.
China has asserted sovereignty over nearly the entire South China Sea, a major trade route where trillions of dollars in trade pass annually. It continues to disregard an international court ruling that declared China’s claims to have no legal basis.
