By Ruben A. Veloria
MASINLOC, Zambales, Philippines – Secretary of National Defense Gilberto Teodoro Jr., on Friday urged the stakeholders, local officials and fishermen to help in protecting fishing grounds against intruders for future generations.
The message was conveyed during his visit in Masinloc to grace the celebration of the 10th Year Anniversary of the 2016 Hague Arbitral Award in the West Philippine Sea.
Sec. Teodoro was welcomed by local officials headed by Zambales Gov. Hermogenes Ebdane Jr., and Zambales 2nd Dist. Rep. Doris Maniquiz, and senior officers of the Armed forces of the Philippines (AFP), and fishermen in the province.
Speaking on the theme “Bayanihan sa Karagatan: Liwanag ng Kalayaan, Tanglaw ng Karagatan”, Teodoro noted that the fishing grounds are getting smaller in global scale.
“That is why we should preserve our own (fishing grounds) and we should not allow ourselves to be controlled by foreign intruders with other motives. Otherwise, those wouldn’t be enough for our future generations,” Teodoro said in Tagalog.
Teodoro, noted however, that the fishing grounds could not be flourished until all Filipinos, acting as one, accept the efforts of the government to maintain its ground over all contested areas in the West Philippine Sea, as stated in the 2016 Arbitral Ruling by the UNCLOS.
Meanwhile, Gov. Ebdane, in his message, said that the West Philippine Sea and its resources belong to Filipino people, and the Filipinos should defend this area against foreign intruders and aggressors.
Noting that the province of Zambales is fully supporting the position and actions in the West Philippine Sea in protecting the nation’s sovereignty and its fishermen harvesting the bountiful resources in the area.
The governor mentioned the occasion was not merely a celebration for the Hague decision, but more importantly to recognize the courage and heroism Filipino fishermen, and the government’s continuing pursuit for peace in the West Philippine Sea.
Before the program ended, Gov. Ebdane and Cong. Maniquiz assisted Sec. Teodoro in distributing batteries, fishing gears, and other fishing materials, and food packs to 3,500 fishermen in the province, followed by a free concert during the night.
