Gov’t should pursue WPS joint oil exploration instead of fighting with China

MANILA, Philippines — Instead of being tough on China about territory in the West Philippine Sea (WPS), Senator Robinhood Padilla on Thursday proposed that the Philippine government should instead pursue joint oil exploration with the superpower.

The neophyte senator said now is not the time to go head to head with China on the territorial dispute, especially when the Philippines could benefit from the resources of the WPS with the help of China.

“Ang kailangan lang natin ngayon, imbes na inaaway natin ang China magkaroon na lang tayo ng joint exploration sa kanila sa WPS,” he told reporters.

(What we need right now, instead of fighting with China, let’s just have a joint exploration with them in WPS.)

“Bakit hindi natin sabihin sa China, ‘bakit hindi tayo mag-usap para as profit? ‘Wag muna natin pag-usapan ang teritoryo kasi hindi tayo magkaintindihan diyan. Ang pag-usapan natin ang kita,’” Padilla added.

(Why don’t we tell China, “why don’t we talk about profit? Let’s not talk about territory because we will clash there. We should talk about the profit.”)

He said the Philippines may allow China to drill there since the government has no capability nor the equipment to do so. Then the profits will be split.)

“Basta pagkakitaan na natin siya. ‘Wag masyadong maging matigas kung kumakalam ang sikmura ng taumbayan. Mahirap maging matapang masyado nang gutom ka kasi ang katapangan na y’an nagiging pang-siraulo na ‘yan,” the senator said.

(Let’s just profit from it. We cannot be tough when the people are hungry. It’s hard to be tough when you’re hungry because it would lead to madness.)

Considering that there is currently a global crisis, the Philippines cannot afford to be tough.

“Pagka-pinatigasan natin baka mga apo na natin wala pang makinabang diyan. Kasi sila mahaba ang pasensya nila. Tayo hindi eh,” Padilla said.

(If we continue to be tough, maybe even our grandchildren will not benefit from it. They [China] have a long patience; we don’t.)

“Gutom ang kababayan natin, trilyon ang utang natin. Dapat matuto din tayo ng diplomacy. Kasi ang panahon ng katapangan hindi ito ang oras ngayon,” he added.

(Our countrymen are hungry. We have trillions of pesos in debt. We need to learn diplomacy. The time to be tough is not now.)

READ: ‘Nahihirapan lang ako! Pwede dahan-dahan lang?’ Padilla admits he’s struggling with plenary debates

JPV