The Philippines to buy more arms to defend Spratlys, SONA: Aquino

Amid rising tensions with China over the hotly-contested Spratly Islands in the Kalayaan Island Group or Freedom land Philippines, President Benigno Aquino III announced during his State of the Nation Address (SONA) that the Philippines was ready to defend its territory by acquiring more armaments.

"We do not wish to increase tensions with anyone, but we must let the world know that we are ready to protect what is ours," Mr. Aquino said in his State of the Nation Address (SONA), drawing loud applause at the packed House of Representatives.

Mr. Aquino did not mention China, which claims the entire South China Sea including the shore of the Philippines, Vietnam, Brunei & Malaysia, where the Spratlys are located, as its own, and has been accused by both the Philippines and Vietnam of becoming increasingly aggressive in staking its claims to the area. But the President clearly referred to Asia's rising military power when he mentioned Recto Bank - internationally known as the Reed Bank - as clearly belonging to the Philippines as a popular downtown Manila Street bears the same name which is 84 Nautical Miles from the shore of Palawan, province of the Philippines which failed to escape from the china’s incursion.

"There was a time when we couldn't appropriately respond to threats in our own backyard. Now, our message to the world is clear: What is ours is ours; setting foot on Recto Bank is no different from setting foot on Recto Avenue, Manila" said Mr. Aquino, whose office announced last month that it was renaming the South China Sea as the "West Philippines Sea".

The President said the Philippines' very first Hamilton-class cutter, which was acquired from the United States, was already on its way to the country.

"We may acquire more vessels in the future, these in addition to helicopters and patrol craft and the weapons that (we) will buy in bulk to get a significant discount," said Mr Aquino, whose country has one of the weakest military forces in the region.

The Philippines has alleged that Chinese forces have repeatedly intruded into Manila-claimed areas in and near the Spratlys since February, including at the Reed Bank. Chinese officials have said there were no intrusions because those waters belonged to China with distance of more than 700 Nautical Miles compare to the Philippines with only 85 Nautical Miles from the Philippines’ shore.

The chain of barren, largely uninhabited islands, reefs and banks in the West Philippines Sea which is also known as South China Sea are claimed in its entirety or partly by China, Taiwan, Malaysia, the Philippines, Vietnam and Brunei. They are believed to be the 4^th largest Oil and Gas deposit in the World.

The Philippines has said it intends to bring the Spratlys disputes before the UN's International Tribunal on the Law of the Sea. China opposed the plan and wants to negotiate bilaterally instead which troubled the Philippines because when they will set down with china; China will just say we owned everything..

Mr. Aquino said in his State of the nation Address (SONA) July 25, 2011 that bringing the case before an international arbiter would ensure that "all involved nations approach the dispute with calm and forbearance".

The President's reference to the Spratlys in an address to mark the one-year anniversary of his inauguration followed a visit by Filipino lawmakers on July 20 to a Philippine-occupied island in the disputed area.

The one-day visit to Pag-asa Island led (Freedom Land Visit)

a Chinese Embassy spokesman to say that Beijing would relay its "great concern" to the Philippines government over the trip.

The Philippines' push to secure energy resources in the Spratlys despite China's opposition may ensnare the United States, Manila's treaty ally. Washington has said the peaceful resolution of the territorial disputes and ensuring the freedom of navigation there were in the US' interest, a position that has irked China.

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton warned on Sunday (July 23, 2011) that disputes in the South China Sea threaten to disrupt one of the world's busiest shipping lanes.

There has been an increase in "intimidations, the ramming, the cuttings of cables - the kinds of things that will raise the cost of business for everyone", Mrs Clinton said on Sunday in Bali, Indonesia, where she had attended a meeting of Asian security officials.

" ... It's important for us to support freedom of navigation, unimpeded commerce," she added.

At the Bali meeting, China and the 10-member Association of South-east Asian Nations (ASEAN) agreed to draft guidelines for behaviour in the South China Sea. However, Philippine Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario was quoted as saying that with no teeth; even such guidelines would be meaningless.

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State of the Nation Address (SONA) 2 Sets Clear Government Direction - Gains Praises

The Philippines President Benigno Aquino III delivers his State of the Nation Address (SONA) during the 15th Congress at the House of Representatives in suburban Quezon City, north of Manila, Philippines on Monday, July. 25, 2011.

President Aquino’s State of the Nation Address (SONA) drew praises from congressional leaders and other sectors not only for his statesmanship but also for the inspiration it gave to the Filipino people.

Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. said the SONA was inspiring to Filipinos, who now see clear and new directions on good governance in the Aquino administration.

“The speech of the President was good and inspiring because he said we have the power of change. We all can do it,” Belmonte told reporters, noting that the SONA was not “vengeful.”

Davao City Rep. Karlo Nograles and Cagayan de Oro Rep. Rufus Rodriguez said the SONA was very clear “on what the President wants, that is to stop corruption and abuse in government so that government funds can be used for the poor.”

“But Filipinos must pay the correct taxes, too. It’s every Filipino’s responsibility to help our country. Congratulations also on the initiative to make Filipinos accountable to the planting of trees and the support government will give to this initiative,” Nograles said.

“Thank you to the President for instructing DOJ (Department of Justice) to go after extrajudicial killings. The President wants a change in the character of Filipinos – that is very noble,” he said.

Eastern Samar Rep. Ben Evardone said the SONA “was very consistent in his good governance and pro-people agenda. The litany of concrete achievements that he mentioned can be summed up into one: there is hope for every Filipino. His agenda of good governance was highlighted by his announcement of the new ombudsman,” Evardone said.

Palawan Representative Antonio Alvarez, vice chairman of the National Unity Party, said the SONA “was an instruction to Congress and a bugle call to the people on what must be done.”

“In so far as the need to provide a sense of direction, the speech achieved it. It dealt with the future instead of dwelling on the past,” Alvarez said.

Ang Kasangga sa Kaunlaran party-list Rep. Teodorico Haresco said the SONA “reflected his parents’ legacy of deep moral upbringing,” while Valenzuela City Rep. Rex Gatchalian, who is also spokesman of the Nationalist People’s Coalition in the House, said “the President showed us his firm grasp of the country’s economic, and national security programs.”

“In the national security front he showed us significant investments in equipment that bolsters our capacity building efforts, while at same time pursuing international legal efforts to secure of territorial integrity,” Gatchalian said.

“P-Noy justified very well running after grafters in the past administration as this would result in better services for the poor,” Quezon City Rep. Winston Castelo said.

Misamis Occidental Gov. Loreto Leo Ocampos said Aquino showed his determination to rid the government of graft in his speech.

Isabela Rep. Giorgidi Aggabao rated the SONA at 85 percent. “I thought it was very substantive and the dollop of humor made the speech alive and interesting.”

Former Philippines’ Presidents were satisfied- SONA is Clear

Former President Fidel Ramos said Aquino’s SONA “was better” than last year’s.

“But we need to move faster because, although he (Aquino) show it, we are already at the bottom in the whole of Southeast Asia and in the whole Asia-Pacific region,” Ramos told reporters.

“We need to work now,” he said.

Former President Joseph Estrada also commended Aquino for his “clear” SONA.

“We need to give P-Noy time in restoring faith in government because of the immeasurable and insurmountable acts of corruption of the past administration,” Estrada said.

“So while we are eliminating corruption, we should also be empowering our citizens through nation building. I hope that in his second year, we see more results in the fields of peace and order, food security and social services, especially education,” he said.

The Black and White Movement renewed its support for Aquino’s year-old government but said it needs to know the President’s vision.

“We want to know what his vision is. He needs to spell it out,” group leader Leah Navarro told reporters. “Where does this government want to take us?”

Navarro said while the government had been coming up with tag lines like “Daang Matuwid” or “Kung Walang Corrupt Walang Mahirap,” it has yet to lay down plans on how it plans to achieve it.

In a statement, the group also noted that “corruption goes unabated” and that “the President’s message of matuwid na daan has not cascaded down to government’s subordinate offices.”

Navarro, who was part of the volunteer movement that campaigned for Aquino for the 2010 polls, reiterated that her group continues to support the President but they would appreciate it if the government could fast-track programs that will eradicate poverty and produce educated youth, among others.

Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) all praises for the President Aquino

Meanwhile, the military yesterday called President Aquino “a good planner” and is optimistic that he would remain supportive of the armed forces’ capability upgrade program.

Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) spokesman Commodore Miguel Rodriguez said they are inspired by Aquino’s vision for the country as well as his drive to implement reforms.

“The plan of the President on where he would lead us is very clear. The President is a very good planner and he wants us to tread the straight path,” he said in an interview.

Rodriguez said Aquino has given them direction through the internal security plan Bayanihan, which seeks to curb armed conflict through development.

“We also have a clear marching order to step up reforms. He brought back the honor and commitment of soldiers. The soldiers become more enthusiastic under his term,” he said. Rodriguez said they are confident that through Aquino’s guidance, the internal conflict with armed groups would eventually come to an end.

“We are optimistic that we will finally put an end to internal strife. We are considering the primacy of peace process. We’re making inroads in the peace negotiations with CPP (Communist Party of the Philippines) and the MILF (Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF),” he said.

Rodriguez also praised Aquino’s commitment to upgrade the capabilities of the military.

“He is providing us the necessary support. Under his leadership, we expect the upgrading of armed forces so we can be respectable force,” the AFP spokesman said.

Rodriguez said the AFP would remain supportive of Aquino’s development programs.

“We’re looking at being able to contribute to the development of the countryside especially in conflict areas.

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