Scarborough Shoal belongs to the Philippines!
By bulastika
@bulastika (5966)
Philippines
April 11, 2012 8:03pm CST
I'm frustrated today by what I heard in the news that theirs a stand off in scarborough shoals zambales. Since spanish time scarborough is part of the Philippines. Its continuously occupied by the philippines until 2009 as the philippines has a lighthouse in their. I don't know what is the deal why on 2009 its was been abandon by the philippines government.
But now china is claiming it.
1 person likes this
8 responses
@jeanneyvonne (5501)
• Philippines
12 Apr 12
I think china, being an emerging as a superpower, will not stop to claim anything that they can claim. According to your information, we have the isl;and as a territory until 2009. If we did relinquish the territory with good and legitimate reasons, I think China will likely to claim it as their own since it is listed as abandoned or an island without an owner. If we are to protests, the time should be now and not later.
@LetranKnight25 (33121)
• Philippines
12 Apr 12
They weren't like this before, but their economic power on the rise and we are at our lowest that made them hasten to take control.
@bulastika (5966)
• Philippines
15 Apr 12
@jeanneyvonne
No we don't. The only reason is that we can't maintain to put or stationed or manned that area but it does not mean we abandon the island. You don't need to stand on it to say you own it.
Since spanish time we already owned it.
@letranknigh25
I do agree. if we want to be strong nation we need to have strong armed force and strong government.
If all corrupt officials in our country will be put in jail our unemployment level will go down dramatically.
@jeanneyvonne (5501)
• Philippines
16 Apr 12
@bulastika I will agree that you don't need to physically occupy a place to own it. However, China can also use the same theory. They say they owned it since thousand of years ago. Basically, it's their history against ours - and sometimes histories on both sides aren't accurate. The only thing complicated here is how to prove these claims (both China and Phil). I would love it if we can really put the place under our territory but we need to get the methods straight if we really want to have it.
@honest_efforts100 (1607)
• India
25 Jul 12
It will not be the first time I see countries fighting over island. I overheard of many African countries fighting over not just islands but also boarders. I really don’t understand why the complaint country has to raise its issues today but I know that late the Scarborough shoals will end up belonging to the Philippines
@bulastika (5966)
• Philippines
1 Aug 12
Actually its been claimed and been patrolled by the Philippines since 300 years ago when we are still under Spain as a colony. Its continues until China claim it and send their ships to the shoal and since the Philippines is so weak military to stop the intrusion we have no choice but to file protest only.
@anne25penn (3305)
• Philippines
12 Apr 12
I won't be surprised when one day nothing will be left of the Philippines because our islands have been claimed by our neighboring countries who are now more powerful and more wealthy than us. Sad as it may seem, I see our country as an old rich estate where the masters gambled or mismanaged their lands. And now that they are so poor, they cannot do anything when land hungry neighbors just lay claim on their property. Our famed 7,107 islands are no more because we cannot even defend what has always been rightfully ours. First was the Spratlys, now Scarborough shoal. I won't be surprised if one day China will claim that Batanes is theirs. Then Palawan. History has shown time and again that we just sit by while our lands get colonized. So, it is not an impossibility that one day we will no longer have any of our small islands left because it has been deemed property of other countries.
@bulastika (5966)
• Philippines
15 Apr 12
Spartlys is not really part of the Philippines its only been claimed by the Philippines while scarborough is part of the Philippines its part of Zambales province since spanish time. So in short we can't compare spratlys to scarborough island.
@rsa101 (37933)
• Philippines
12 Apr 12
It is our history vs. their history that is being lodged at by both parties. China claims they own this since the early dynasties and us claiming this according the international laws of the seas as well as we have history of claiming this islands before.
What is happening now should be tackled under UN as they have the only mandate to whom this should be given. We have the basis for claiming it but of course China as big as they are in their economy and military can we face them with our poorly equipped military might.
@bulastika (5966)
• Philippines
15 Apr 12
Base on historical ground they can't even claim that its their own. Since its only appear in their map and has chinese name on it does not mean they own it. They also have chinese name for luzon island does it mean they also owned luzon?
While Philippines since spanish time already occupied the island continuously. And even indonesia our neighbor in the south recognize philippines as the owner of the island. And when U.S.A. Bought the Philippines Island from Spain its included in the territory that has been bought.
@greenpeas (998)
• Philippines
13 Apr 12
China's economy has grown and with it its arrogance and greed. They have a wide body of shore and yet they venture out thousands of miles into our territory off Zambales and for all crazy reason in the world claims it as their own. Its invasion pure and simple, and our government, no matter what happens, should not back down from asserting our sovereignty over our territory. We are right, and those Chinese invaders are wrong.
Its also time to realize how corruption have degenerated our navy into helpless, obsolete ships with minimal firepowers. PNoy is doing all he can, but this is like cleaning up years of neglect and corruption. Perhaps our patriotic and wealthy countrymen should donate some of their money to purchase some armaments so our sailors will have a fighting chance against foreign forces threatening our shores.
@bulastika (5966)
• Philippines
16 Apr 12
I do agree. I think the best move right now is overhaul. Clean our corrupt system.
First thing we need to do is build a prison wall that can house one million prisoners. The reason why I say this is simple.
I'm sure 80% or even more of our government officials are corrupt so file a case and put them to jail!.
Now theirs 80% vacant position that those honest but unemployed filipino can work.
@dazzledlady (1618)
• Philippines
12 Apr 12
hi, I am a bit late in knowing the current event on this matter but now I know. I heard it on the news and read it through yahoo. I do not have knowledge of what happened in the year 2009 and I do not know if it is considered to be an abandoned island if the Philippines has no longer a light house in that area. What I know now is that the Philippines is trying to protect its territory. As stated in the news Scarborough Shoal is within 200-nautical mile exclusive economic zone of the Philippines and it is based on the international law. So, we have a claim on the island, unless if it is also included in China's 200-nautical mile economic zone then we have a problem. The Philippines claimed that the Chinese fishermen were in our territory and doing illegal fishing and getting corals including species that are considered extinct. If that was the case, I hope the Chinese will back down because we are only protecting our natural resources. Being a powerhouse country does not give them the right to step on another weak country. The Philippines should never give in no matter how little our resources will be compared to China. For I believe as a member of the United Nation, we will be supported by other country alliances because we are in a rightful stand recognize by the international community.
@bulastika (5966)
• Philippines
16 Apr 12
I don't think they going to do that. But what I think we need is to be a powerful nation. Its time to walk up. Just imagine before our country is number two only to japan in term of economy and in term of military might. But look at our country today. Its not only sick country of asia but its already bedridden.
@bulastika (5966)
• Philippines
15 Apr 12
Do you know history of it? We don't claim it we owned the islet. Its been claimed and occupied since spanish time. Its been part of our Map since spanish time. We even have lighthouse in their.
@LetranKnight25 (33121)
• Philippines
12 Apr 12
Hello bulastika, years of corruption and not taking well care of our territories that has given China an advantage to take territories which the Philippines can never defend themselves with.They want more military outpost for the test of their fleet or simply because of the possible oil deposits there
@bulastika (5966)
• Philippines
15 Apr 12
That's true. But if we want to stand our ground what we need is to fight back.
The best way to preserve peace is to have a bigger stick. I know china is the second biggest armed force in the world and the reason of that is us. If we want that country to go down. Just pull out investors from the whole world their will be unrest and I'm sure china will go down. lols.
