Defense Secretary Gilberto “Gibo” Teodoro Jr. announced on Monday that the Philippines is considering the establishment of additional bases for both military and civilian agencies to safeguard its archipelagic baselines.
Teodoro stated that while the specific locations for these potential bases have yet to be determined, he has directed the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) to consider building them at the outermost points of the country’s archipelagic baselines.
The planning and groundwork for these new Philippine bases are slated to commence next year, according to Teodoro.
In a recent development, the Philippines removed the floating barrier that the Chinese Coast Guard (CCG) had previously installed in the southeastern area of Scarborough Shoal.
This action was carried out on the instructions of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. and National Security Adviser Eduardo Año, who also leads the National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea (WPS).
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin explained that China had installed the floating barrier to prevent a Philippine vessel from entering Scarborough Shoal, as they believed it was trespassing.
Scarborough Shoal, known locally as Bajo de Masinloc, is a U-shaped rocky formation rich in marine resources.
China took control of it from Manila in 2012 after a two-month standoff, leading to a formal arbitration complaint filed by Manila a decade ago.
Source: PhilNews24 | October 2, 2023
