Philippines welcomes US support for 2016 arbitral award, reaffirmation of MDT
MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines' top diplomat welcomed the open support of longtime ally the United States for the 2016 arbitral ruling on the South China Sea, as well as its reaffirmation of its commitment to the 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty.
During the Special ASEAN-US Foreign Ministers' Meeting on Wednesday (Manila time), Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. stressed that the five-year-old arbitral award is binding international law.
The Hague-based United Nations-backed tribunal sided with the Philippines, invalidating China's expansive claims in the South China Sea, part of which is the Philippine Sea.
"As such, it contributes to the rules-based order in ASEAN and benefits all the countries that use the vital artery that is the South China Sea. The rest is bluster," Locsin said.
The DFA chief also stressed that the landmark ruling is the "most authoritative application of UNCLOS on the maritime entitlements of features in the South China Sea."
On the fifth anniversary of the Hague ruling, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken reaffirmed Washington's July 13, 2020 policy branding Beijing's claims to offshore resources in the contested waterway as "completely unlawful."
“We also reaffirm that an armed attack on Philippine armed forces, public vessels, or aircraft in the South China Sea would invoke US mutual defense commitments under Article IV of the 1951 US-Philippines Mutual Defense Treaty,” Blinken added.
China, meanwhile, strongly opposed Blinken's statement, claiming that it disregards merits and objective facts of the South China Sea issue.
Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian said the US statement was "completely irresponsible."
"It deliberately stokes disputes on territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests, sows discord among regional countries and undermines regional peace and stability," Zhao said in a press briefing on Monday.
Beijing continues to disregard the 2016 arbitral ruling, insisting that the South China Sea arbitration has "major fallacies."
"The award of the arbitration is illegal, null and void. It is nothing more than a piece of waste paper. China does not accept or participate in the arbitration, nor does it accept or recognize the award. China's sovereignty and rights and interests over the South China Sea are not affected at all by the arbitration and China does not accept any claim or act based on it," he added.
The US government establishes a five-year grant worth P800 million to promote natural resource conservation, and ecosystem and community resilience, by supporting civil society organizations in advocating for, and participating in, good natural resource governance.
The grant will be launched through the Investing in Sustainability and Partnerships for Inclusive Growth and Regenerative Ecosystems (INSPIRE) project.
“Through the INSPIRE project, USAID is pleased to support the Philippines’ efforts to conserve the country’s rich biodiversity and mitigate the impacts of climate change while making sure that the environment continues to benefit many Filipinos whose incomes depend upon these natural resources," USAID Acting Mission Director Sean Callahan says.
The United States Embassy in the Philippines launches a livelihood program for those who are recovering from substance abuse order.
In partnership with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, the US Embassy's International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs is providing PhP5 million ($100,000) to support the "Ako ang Saklay" program.
“Livelihood programs, such as those facilitated by Ako ang Saklay, can result in quality-of-life changes for persons who use drugs, their families, and their communities,” INL representative Mark Everson says.
The US Peace Corps, in partnership with the DepEd, concludes a series of virtual trainings for educators on using newly developed distance training materials.
The training ran from October 12 to 29, which involved 1,000 teachers, principals and supervisors from Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao.
“Studies show that high-quality instructional materials significantly increase academic outcomes by allowing students to engage more deeply and meaningfully with their learning. This has never been more important than now, with students still schooling online due to the ongoing pandemic,” DepEd Bureau of Learning Delivery Director Leila Areola says.
USAID launches a five-year project worth P750 million ($15 million) to build climate resilience in the Philippines.
The Climate Resilient Cities project will help cities in the country to mitigate, and endure the impacts of climate change by increasing their access to climate financing and tools to build resilience, the US Embassy says.
"Addressing the climate crisis, and particularly the vulnerability of cities, is crucial to helping build a more prosperous, resilient Philippines for current and future generations," USAID Philippines Acting Mission Director Sean Callahan says.
US military service members on Tuesday delivered ICU beds and COVID-19 cold storage units wort P758,750 to the Palawan provincial government.
The donation was made in response to the request of the Palawan provincial government amid a surge of COVID-19 cases in the province, the US Embassy says in a media release.
“This donation will help the people of Palawan a lot by upgrading our ability to fight against the pandemic. It comes at the perfect time due to the surge of new cases and will help us face this new challenge," Palawan Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Office director Jeremias Alili says.
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