Defending PH against a bully neighbor

INQUIRER PHOTO / RICHARD A. REYES

Territory is very important to every nation. As James Garfield, 20h American President quotes, “Territory is but the body of a nation. The people who inhabit its hills and valleys are its soul, its spirit, its life.”

I am a pure-blooded Filipino and proud to be one. My husband and I work in the United Kingdom as nurses and are currently on vacation in Laguna, Philippines. Filipinos are peace-loving, friendliest, the best, and warmest people on the planet.

While we are working in a peaceful country, I can’t help but be boggled and somewhat scared by news about the Chinese activities in the Philippine waters which to me are an infringement of our territory.

The Chinese have been thriving in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) as they claim it is their territory. The WPS consists of islands and islets that are very rich in marine life, natural gas, and oil reserves, among others. News revealed their creeping invasion in the country as they have built infrastructures, stolen fish catch from our fishermen, and exploited and harvested our marine fauna.

This year, a series of unlawful activities were perpetrated by the Chinese Coast Guard purportedly to have their footing in the WPS. How many more of this aggressive behavior will these Chinese nationals lodge against Filipinos? How long can Filipinos endure their infringement on our territory?

While we Filipinos are peace-loving people, are we going to allow China’s infringement on our sovereignty which was won through decades of hard struggle?

I appeal to our lawmakers and policy planners to defend our territory peacefully with the intervention of other international states who also stand for peace.