Coast Guard ships sail to Batanes to deliver relief, enforce sovereignty
MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Coast Guard has sent two of its Parola-class patrol vessels to bring relief goods to Itbayat, Batanes, which was struck by twin earthquakes over the weekend.
Capt. Armand Balilo, PCG spokesman, said BRP Malabrigo and BRP Capones left for Batanes early Thursday bringing relief goods from the Department of Social Welfare and Development and the PCG Auxiliary.
The relief includes rice, canned goods, milk, blankets, folding beds and tents.
Additional PCG personnel were also aboard the vessels to assist in medical activities and relief operations in the province.
Aside from the patrol vessels, the coast guard's Islander plane also flew to Batanes to bring relief goods and help in medical evacuations and transport activities.
PCG to enforce Philppine sovereignty in undisputed Batanes
The two Parola-class patrol vessels of the PCG will also patrol the waters off Batanes to enforce Philippine sovereignty and conduct law enforcement activities after the relief operations.
President Rodrigo Duterte earlier directed the PCG to intensify surveillance of the country's territory in northern Luzon.
"You might want to ask the coast guard to — stay here, stay for a while and switch once in a while, to patrol the island from time to time. Not every day but just to assure that those islands will remain ours," Duterte said in a briefing with Batanes officials Sunday.
Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said the president's order was to deter poachers and anybody who will encroach in Philippine territory.
"The directive of the president is clear for the coast guard to station... just one ship, one boat to patrol the area," Lorenzana said in an interview with CNN Philippines' "The Source" earlier this week.
China and the Philippines have confirmed cooperation programs worth $3.7 billion, during a meeting held in Beijing, a senior Chinese official said Monday.
"The cooperation projects, which are the first batch, on improving people's living standards now only need a series of bank-related procedures," said Gao Hucheng, China's commerce minister, after a meeting between the Philippine Cabinet delegation and Chinese officials.
The meeting was held to implement the results and consensus agreed by the two countries' leaders in October 2016. The Philippine delegation are on a two-day visit to China, which started Monday. -- Philippine News Agency/Xinhua
Deputy Speaker Ralph Recto says that there was no breach of protocol during the recent meeting of former President Rodrigo Duterte with Chinese Premier Xi Jinping in Beijing.
“Hindi pwedeng sa Amerikano lang tayo nakikipag-usap. Kausapin natin lahat, kahit doon sa katampuhan natin. 'Di ba ‘friend to all, enemy to no one’ naman tayo?“ he says.
“Kahit doon sa umaapi sa atin, hindi natin pwedeng dedmahin,” he adds.
President Marcos says he is aware of former president Rodrigo Duterte's visit to China but says it is a personal trip. Marcos hopes Duterte will brief him about his meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping. — The STAR/Alexis Romero
China donates P10 million to the Philippine government to support "efforts to rebuild Batanes and help local residents return to normal life" after twin earthquakes shook the province over the weekend, the Chinese Embassy announces.
"The Embassy of People’s Republic of China in the Philppines believes that, under the strong leadership of President Rodrigo Roa Duterte and the government of the Philippines, the Philippine people will overcome the disaster and rebuild their homeland as soon as possible," the embassy also says.
Initial estimates put infrastructure damage from the earthquakes at at least P47 million.
A solar project of the State Grid Corporation of China, the Philippine National Electrification Administration and Zambales II Electric Cooperative in San Marcelino town in Zambales will be completed this month, China's Xinhua says in a report forwarded by the Chinese Embassy.
The solar project, called "Brighten Up", involves the installation of a solar panel system that will give more than 1,000 residents access to power. The project will also provide electricity to two schools serving 108 students in Barangay Baliwet.
"According to Liu Ming, the deputy chief representative of SGCC Philippine Office, the 'Brighten Up' project is the first charitable project independently launched by a Chinese-funded enterprise in the Philippines," the article says.
Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi has arrived in Davao City for his two-day official visit to the Philippines.
LOOK | Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi arrives in Davao City for his two-day official visit to the Philippines. | via @dqdevera pic.twitter.com/rf1nR2Q9qZ
— ONE News PH (@onenewsph) October 28, 2018
Wang is expected to sign a number of bilateral deals with Philippine officials, who include Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr.
The Chinese official is also scheduled to meet with President Rodrigo Duterte’s economic managers to discuss infrastructure development.
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