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| ==[[Quirino News]]== | | ==[[Quirino News]]== |
| '''Military action not an option in the Scarborough standoff, says NOLCOM''' | | '''Mine gives P22M to communities''' |
| *Source: http://www.pia.gov.ph/news/index.php?article=561334217422 | | *Source: http://www.sunstar.com.ph/baguio/local-news/2012/04/15/mine-gives-p22m-communities-216425 |
| *Friday 13th of April 2012 | | *Sunday, April 15, 2012 |
| :by Carlo Lorenzo J. Datu | | :by Ma. Elena Catajan |
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| CAMP AQUINO, Tarlac City, April 13 (PIA) -- The Northern Luzon Command (NOLCOM) stressed yesterday, April 12, that both the Philippines and China are seeking for a diplomatic solution to the current standoff in Panatag (Scarborough) Shoal, which is 135 nautical miles away from Palauig and Masinloc towns of Zambales.
| | MINING giant Lepanto Consolidated Mining Company (LCMC) has paid it forward to Mankayan, Benguet, and Cervantes and Quirino in Ilocos Sur, both host communities of the firm. |
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| In a statement, NOLCOM said Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert Del Rosario had a meeting with China Ambassador to the Philippines Ma Keqing to iron out misunderstandings between the Asian neighbors.
| | The Annual Social Development and Management Program report revealed LCMC has given P22,005,519.15 worth of projects, programs and activities to host communities. |
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| “We are looking into mitigating the problem in the future. A joint effort between our Navy, Philippine Coast Guard and Maritime Police shall be done during monitoring and surveillance patrols to safeguard our territorial waters. Lately, our men were caught in a situation wherein the matter is non-military in nature. These Chinese fishermen were unarmed, they are civilians and are supposed to be dealt with civilian law enforcer also, but, since we are part of the security sector, and these people came into our territorial waters, and were caught violating our Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources and Department of Environment and Natural Resources laws, despite the absence of such orders, we will implement the law, but we cannot afford that the tie between the two countries will be broken because of our action. We still go for a peaceful settlement,” NOLCOM Chief Lt. Gen. Anthony Alcantara said.
| | Have something to report? Tell us in text, photos or videos. |
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| Alcantara added that they urge review on the international waters, territorial, and sovereignty laws in neutral court so that the world would know if it’s really a shoal or atoll, Panatag or Huangyan Island once and for all.
| | Mankayan received the biggest share with all its barangays enjoying the fruits of the Social Development and Management Program. |
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| Yesterday, the Philippine Navy personnel onboard the BRP Gregorio del Pilar-PF 15 sent a team via a patrol boat to check these Chinese fishing vessels and discovered two of the vessels were already filled with large amount of illegally harvested and collected marine products like giant clams, corals and live sharks and that the vessels were about to navigate back to Hainan, China as revealed by the crew.
| | Carol Rosito, head of the Social Development Department, said since the company started implementing the SDMP in 2002 “P54 million were spent for the communities of Mankayan, Cervantes and Quirino.” |
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| These marine products were collected and harvested right within Scarborough. Contrary to the fishermen’s allegations, they were not harassed nor their human rights were violated, and utmost adherence and strict compliance to the rules of engagement was observed. However, the language barrier played the major problem on the initial inquiries made by the navy men.
| | Rosito said, “This is exclusive of the benefits given to the dependents of the company like housing repairs, free water and electricity services and donations made to other places.” |
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| The Philippine government maintain its claim that Scarborough is inside the Exclusive Economic Zone, a provision stipulated in the United Nations Continental Shelf in favor to the Philippines.
| | LCMC implements the SDMP in compliance with the Amended Implementing Rules and Regulations of R.A. 7942 or the Philippine Mining Act of 1995 where a minimum of one and a half percent from one percent of the operating costs will be allotted annually in the development of the host and neighboring communities to promote the general welfare of residents. |
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| Meanwhile, China insisted that the disputed island is within its territory and that it has an indisputable sovereignty over it. (WLB/CLJD-PIA 3)
| | Projects were divided into many needs of both areas with 66.53 percent or P14,641,166.75 spent on support infrastructures; 29.62 percent or P6517,678.75 on education; 1.65 percent or P363,455.49 spent on health; 1.07 percent or P234,401 were spent on environmental development; 0.72 percent or P158,817.16 were spent on peace and order; while 0.41 percent or P90,000 were allotted to sports and cultural development. |
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| ==Photo Gallery of Quirino, Philippines== | | ==Photo Gallery of Quirino, Philippines== |