Roque, for whom does he speak?

Centuries ago, each kingdom claimed the right to its region of land and water to protect resources such as food, water, and shelter. Every area and sea has its strength, such as the Arabian Peninsula's oil and mineral wealth. Coral reefs abound on the Philippine Peninsula, as do a variety of creatures such as whale sharks, Japanese eels, tuna, and many others. The Spratly Islands, located in the West Philippine Sea, are one of the richest islands out of 7,640. They contain a great amount of untapped natural resources such as natural gas and many types of seafood.

Japan attempted to annex the archipelago during WWII by establishing it as a submarine base. Taiwan, China, and Vietnam proclaimed themselves the lawful proprietors when they surrendered their claim to the islands in 1951, but the Philippines claimed the islands in 1955. By the late twentieth century, Vietnam, Taiwan, China, Malaysia, and the Philippines have all encountered difficulties in claiming the Spratlys.

China assumed that the whole South China Sea, including all of the sea's islands, was under their borders, which Vietnam and the Philippines dispute. China began claiming the whole South China Sea in 1988 when it forcibly removed the Vietnamese army from Johnson South Reef. China has also begun to develop artificial lands in the Philippine Archipelago in 2014, devastating coral reefs. Since then, the Philippines has had no legal recourse to restore its ownership of the island.

On Monday, May 10, 2021, Presidential Spokesperson Herminio "Harry" L. Roque declared that the Juan Felipe Reef was never in Philippine sovereignty. He also stated that we should make friends with China, despite the fact that Chinese ships never seem to be nice to Filipino fishermen. It is clear that he exclusively protects the President, not the entire country. Yes, he always does his job properly by supporting and standing with the president, even if he occasionally opposes it, as he revealed once in an interview, but this certainly demonstrates that his accountability and reliability are questionable. The Departments of Foreign Affairs and National Defense strenuously refuted his assertions, claiming that the Juan Felipe Reef was still in Philippine jurisdiction.

I absolutely agree with Risa Hontiveros when she stated that Harry Roque was reckless in claiming that the country had never had Juan Felipe reef. In this type of circumstances, where the entire country's economy and safety are at stake, they should devise a strategy to assert the country's right to the West Philippine Sea. His comment demonstrates that our country has never been one of unification, which is why the reform promised by the present administration has yet to materialize. I am profoundly dissatisfied with the present administration's governance; they lack in preparation, action, and smart decision making, leaving them unaccountable to their position. I just hope that in the approaching 2022 election, we will have a bright future and a victorious declaration of our rights in the West Philippine Sea.