DFA: Philippines may take China actions to UN assembly

MANILA, Philippines —  The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) is looking at filing a resolution with the United Nations General Assembly or UNGA to address the escalating tension in the West Philippine Sea due to China’s continuous aggression.

This was revealed by Nueva Ecija Rep. Joseph Gilbert Violago, who spoke in behalf of the DFA, being its budget sponsor during yesterday’s plenary deliberation of the agency’s proposed budget in 2025.

Questioned by OFW party-list Rep. Marissa Magsino, Violago said the DFA has plans to file the resolution with the UNGA “on the Philippines’ territorial claims in the West Philippine Sea (WPS)” for various reasons.

“Firstly, the Philippines has raised the Philippines’ position in the South China Sea, West Philippine Sea, including the 2016 arbitral award, at every available opportunity in various operating international forums,” Violago noted.

In the context of the UN in New York, he underscored that the Philippines “has consistently included the award in its interventions in the meetings of the three parties on the Law of the Sea.”

But Violago maintained that the recommendation to file the resolution with UNGA would have to be subject to “necessity and prudence” so the DFA continues to study its implications

“The DFA maintains the view that the UN General Assembly is the venue for decisions on human development issues that concern the conditions faced by humanity as a whole,” he added.

The personnel onboard BRP Teresa Magbanua, which sailed back to port after five months of deployment at Escoda (Sabina) Shoal, will be ready for a new assignment once they receive orders from the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG).

“Yes, we are willing. We are ready,” Lieutenant Commander Efren Duran Jr., commanding officer of PCG’s 97-meter patrol vessel BRP Teresa Magbanua, said over dwPM Radyo 630 yesterday.

Majority of the 63 crewmembers of the patrol ship have recovered after experiencing medical issues apparently brought about by dehydration and lack of nutrition, amid efforts by China Coast Guard (CCG) and other Chinese maritime forces to block their supplies since August.

Their ordeal worsened after a CCG patrol vessel hit the PCG patrol ship