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MANILA, Philippines – The Philippines is far behind in developing its maritime features in the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea), photos obtained by the Philippine Daily Inquirer showed.
Close-up aerial photos of the Philppine island occupied by about a hundred Filipinos – Pag-asa (Thitu) Island – showed a settlement studded with trees but sparse in facilities.
The 1.3-kilometer airstrip on the island is now dangerously dilapidated due to neglect, and promises to fix it remain just that, mere promises.
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Another Philippine occupied island – Likas (West York) Island – showed no facility at all. It’s a maritime feature that the Armed Forces of the Philippines is patrolling.
In comparison, there’s no stopping China and Vietnam in developing reefs into sprawling military outposts.
— Inquirer (@inquirerdotnet) May 7, 2018
Other claimants have strengthened their stakes in the South China Sea, except the Philippines. #WestPHSea | @FMangosingINQ https://t.co/5UgeD8YhEJ
Zamora (Subi) Reef is only about 15 nautical miles (about 30 kilometers) away from Pag-asa. Through massive reclamation, China has turned the reef that the Philippines claims into an impressive artificial island that now hosts a 3-kilometer runway – more than double the length of the airstrip on Pag-asa.
Calderon (Cuarteron) Reef is another reef the Philippines claims that China turned into an “island”.
The photos show Vietnam has been just as aggressive in reclaiming reef maritime features.
Photos of Pugad (Southwest) Cay, also claimed by the Philippines, showed dozens of multi-story buildings and an encircled jetty port.
Evidence of militarization of the South China Sea coming out in the media has consisted mostly of satellite images. The Inquirer photos provide a rare close-up view.
The Philippines was among the first to build a runway in the West Philippine Sea in the ’70s. Pag-asa is the second biggest island in the Spratlys, a natural outcrop.
The Chinese built runways on reclaimed reefs, destroying hundreds of acres of corals. One of the hosts of its runways, Panganiban (Mischief) Reef, was declared to be an undisputed part of the Philippine Exclusive Economic Zone.
A recent report from US network CNBC said China has installed anti-ship and air-to-air defenses Panganiban Reef and two other outposts.
Philippine Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana promised to fix the runway and build facilities on the island when he visited in April 2017. China protested. (READ: PH plans for Pag-asa to test Duterte’s friendship with China)
It’s been a broken promise for decades. The former administration of President Benigno Aquino III had allocated funds to fix the runway, but opted to wait for a favorable ruling from the arbitration court.
The court dismissed China’s sweeping claims in the South China Sea. But by then, Aquino had finished his term and China-friendly President Rodrigo Duterte had taken over. – Rappler.com
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