Tuesday, March 25, 2008 Cabaero: Boundary disputes By Nini B. Cabaero Beyond 30
IN the macro setting, there is the move to establish the country’s new archipelagic baseline that would define its extended territory to cover resource-rich areas.
In a micro setting, there is the dispute between Barangays Lahug and Luz of Cebu City over who has tax jurisdiction over a huge chunk of commercial property.
They are different in locations, extent of areas covered and the nature of the boundaries. But these two settings in macro and micro are like many boundary disputes that have competing claims, except this time we have political leaders involved.
National leaders are getting preoccupied with a bill in Congress redefining the Philippines’ archipelagic baseline. What this means is that the new legislation, once approved, would formalize the Philippines’ claim of the Kalayaan Group of Islands that includes the Scarborough Shoal. These are areas also being claimed by other nations, like China, for their marine and other resources.
The proposed new baseline is tied to the forging of the Joint Marine Seismic Undertaking in the area, which some lawmakers said could be a ground for charging President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo with treason.
Rep. Antonio Cuenco, a Cebuano, chairman of the House committee on foreign affairs, has postponed deliberation on the measure until the resumption of Congress sessions on April 21.
It was Cuenco who announced China had opposed House Bill (HB) 3216, through a note sent to the Philippine Embassy in Beijing, because it also has claims to the same territory. He said, “We must be very careful with the diplomatic repercussions. We don’t want to break our ties. Will we not strain our relations with China? We should be circumspect. It all boils down to judgment call: Am I going to adopt a bolder view or a moderate view?”
Meanwhile, in Cebu City, the dispute is over who has jurisdiction and can thus claim a share of the tax revenue from the area occupied by the Waterfront Cebu City Hotel and Casino and the Grand Convention Center and other big-money taxpayers.
Lahug Barangay Captain Mary Ann de los Santos said the claim made by neighboring Barangay Luz should be studied by the Cebu City Council with impartiality. De los Santos fears the decision would favor Barangay Luz because it is perceived as supportive of the City Hall administration while she is a critic of Mayor Tomas Osmeña. She ran for mayor against Osmeña last May.
Her challenge is for the City Council to approve the new delineation of properties between the two barangays in a fair manner.
Cuenco and de los Santos are correct in their point that these territorial disputes have to be handled with care. On the macro part, there would be repercussions for the country if it antagonizes a giant like China. On the micro, political biases have no place in a permanent decision such as setting a boundary.
Boundaries are intended for the long-term or are permanent until re-defined. The moves to establish the Philippine’s new territory and to delineate the areas of Cebu City Barangays Lahug and Luz would have to keep politics in check so as not to confuse deliberations.
