MANILA – Senators have proposed earmarking P1 billion as seed money to finance the development of the country’s own defense industry in the wake of China’s more aggressive activities in the West Philippine Sea.   The senators, led by Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri, jointly filed Senate…

MANILA – National Security Adviser Eduardo Año on Tuesday said China was “creating unnecessary tensions” with the Philippines and was “overhyping” a recent incident where a Philippine Navy ship entered the waters of Panatag (Scarborough) Shoal in the West Philippine Sea.   “Under international law, the Philippines has every right to patrol the length and breadth of the West Philippine Sea, which necessarily includes Bajo de Masinloc, which…

MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. on Tuesday said he is eyeing a fishing ban and other restrictions in certain areas to address overfishing and boost the country’s fish population.   Such measures, said Marcos, are part of the government’s plan of securing the country’s fish stocks along with other initiatives for the agriculture sector to…

Sen. Francis “Tol” Tolentino believes there's something deeper in China's coral harvesting endeavors in Iroquios or Rozul Reef in the West Philippine Sea (WPS), saying that it might be a prelude to reclamation.   “May iba pang plano siguro po riyan, di lang ‘yong pagkuha ng corals at pagdurog nito. Iyong pagpatay kasi ng corals ay prelude sa isang bagay— pag pinatay mo iyon, pwede ka nang mag-reclaim (Perhaps there's a different plan there, not just harvesting and destroying corals.…