Philippines hopes construction in Pagasa to “go on smoothly”

September 15, 2017

The Philippine government expressed belief on Friday the development of Pagasa Island in the disputed South China Sea would "go on smoothly" despite China's possible protest.

In a press briefing in Malacanang, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said the construction in Pagasa, which is part of Kalayaan municipality in Palawan province, could have started.

"Hopefully, they have started because the contracts have been finalized, I think two months ago. And the funds are already available. But it will be done in stages," he said.

He said the first stage is to construct a beaching ramp for the ship to dock so that the construction materials and heavy equipment could be brought in. The repair of the runway will be done next, he said.

"They will repair first the runway  --- make it useable on all weather. It would be cemented. And then later on, they will extend for another 500 meters to make it viable for bigger aircraft," he said.

The government has an 18-month timetable to complete the P1.6-billion project, the defense chief said.

China has been claiming almost the entire South China Sea, including the Philippine occupied Pagasa Island.

Lorenzana said he expects China to lodge a protest but not a violent action against the Philippines.

"I don’t think they will do any violent actions. They will protest. I was told by the (Chinese) ambassador that anything we do there, they are going to protest. It’s okay. Anyway, whatever you do there, they also protest," he said.

The Philippines has lodged several protests over Chinese activities in the disputed waters.

"So we have very good working relationship with the Chinese Ambassador here," Lorenzana said, adding the Philippine action is not a violation of the Code of Conduct of Parties in South China Sea because Manila is not occupying any new feature.

"What we are doing is improving our own, the islands that we are occupying. We have occupied since 1969, the first time we occupied those islands there in the Kalayaan Island Group," he said.

"So that’s the status quo now. So I’m sure that the repair of Pag-asa will go on smoothly," Lorenzana stressed. Celerina Monte/DMS