PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte will soon sign an executive order (EO) unilaterally declaring the triangle-shaped Scarborough Shoal as a marine sanctuary, where Filipino or Chinese nationals would no longer be allowed to fish.
This was what National Secretary Adviser Hermogenes Esperon Jr. said in a press conference in Lima, Peru on Sunday.
"The President has decided to declare that as a sanctuary. That is a unilateral action from government," Esperon said, referring to the Scarborough Shoal.
"It is our position not to have fishing activities inside the triangle-[shaped] Scarborough," he added.
Scarborough Shoal, also known as Panatag Shoal, is among the disputed maritime features where several countries, including China and the Philippines, have outstanding claims.
Esperon said the shoal, "almost as big as Quezon City," is a spawning area that needs to be protected.
Esperon said Duterte had already told Chinese President Xi Jinping of his plan to come up with an EO during their bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation summits.
He said that while the Philippines need not ask China for the declaration of Panatag Shoal as marine sanctuary, the two leaders seemed to be congruent in banning fishing inside the shoal.
"Actually, we both have congruence in what we want [to happen] there. If they prohibit fishing there [in Panatag Shoal] we will not allow fishing, too," Esperon said.
Communications Secretary Martin Andanar, who presided the press conference, said Xi was amenable to the unilateral declaration of Panatag Shoal as marine sanctuary.
"Based on the interpretation, [Xi] said, 'We will mobilize government forces to promote our agreements, step up guidance to create favorable environment,'" Andanar said.
"That's what he said after President Duterte mentioned his proposed unilateral declaration to make [Panatag Shoal] as marine sanctuary."
In October, Duterte went to China to meet Xi, not to discuss the international court's South China Sea ruling in favor of the Philippines but to seek bilateral cooperation.
The bilateral negotiation has yielded positive development as Filipinos are now able to fish around the Scarborough Shoal despite the presence of Chinese Coast Guard vessels in the area. (Sunnex)