Press Release
September 30, 2022

Cayetano: We need a West PH Sea office in the DFA

Senator Alan Peter Cayetano on Friday floated the idea of establishing an office in the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) dedicated to all concerns connected to the West Philippine Sea, saying simply raising diplomatic protests is not enough to assert the country's rights in the disputed waters.

"Instead of just promoting the arbitral awards, shouldn't we actually establish a West Philippine Sea office in DFA?" Cayetano told DFA officials in a manifestation at the Senate Committee on Finance budget meeting on September 30, 2022.

He said with each administration facing different diplomatic challenges requiring a unique set of strategies, it is necessary to establish a West Philippine Sea office within the DFA to monitor and respond to any threat to the country's sovereignty in the area.

Cayetano, who served as Secretary of Foreign Affairs during the Duterte administration from 2017 to 2018, also said the DFA should aim not for quantity but quality in its diplomatic protests related to the West Philippine Sea.

"We can protest everyday and it will mean nothing, but we can also protest just once and give all of the international law, evidence, and facts to back up our claim," the senator said.

"Pagdating sa pag-protesta sa ating territorial rights, mas mabigat ang quality kaysa quantity," he added.

Cayetano reiterated his message to DFA officials to be "pro-Philippines" instead of aligning Manila's foreign policy for or against any other country.

"It's just a matter of saan nag-i-intersect. We will take our allies in good faith and their help is always acceptable, but we also recognize na hindi lahat ng allies natin exactly kapareho ang interest natin," he said.


Cayetano: Kailangan ng West PH Sea office sa DFA

Iminungkahi ni Senador Alan Peter Cayetano ang pagbuo ng isang tanggapan sa Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) na tututok sa lahat ng usapin tungkol sa West Philippine Sea.

Ayon sa senador, hindi na sapat ang simpleng paghahain ng protesta upang maipagtanggol ang karapatan ng bansa sa naturang katubigan.

"Instead of just promoting the arbitral awards, shouldn't we actually establish a West Philippine Sea office in DFA?" sinabi ni Cayetano sa mga opisyal ng DFA sa kanyang manifestation sa budget meeting ng Senate Committee on Finance noong September 30, 2022.

Aniya, dahil humaharap sa magkakaibang problema pagdating sa diplomasya at may kanya-kanyang estratehiya ang bawat administrasyon, kinakailangang magtatag ng isang West Philippine Sea office sa DFA na magbabantay at tutugon sa anumang banta sa soberanya ng bansa sa pinagaagawang dagat.

Nagpaalala si Cayetano, na Foreign Affairs Secretary mula 2017 hanggang 2018 sa ilalim ng administrasyong Duterte, sa mga opisyal ng DFA na dapat husay at hindi bilang ng mga protesta ang maging sukatan nila sa pagtatanggol sa interes ng bansa sa West Philippine Sea.

"We can protest everyday and it will mean nothing, but we can also protest just once and give all of the international law, evidence, and facts to back up our claim," ayon sa senador.

"Pagdating sa pag-protesta sa ating territorial rights, mas mabigat ang quality kaysa quantity," dagdag pa niya.

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