SUBIC TOWN, Zambales — Senator Francis Tolentino has asked Secretary of Foreign Affairs Enrique A. Manalo to seek the assistance of the International Committee of Red Cross (ICRC) based in Geneva, Switzerland.
In a letter to Manalo, Senator Tolentino said that the escalating conditions in the West Philippine Sea would make it difficult for the government’s resupply missions.
“The ICRC under the Geneva Convention can facilitate the necessary humanitarian aid to our Navy personnel living in BRP Sierra Madre and would pave the way for the delivery of the needed food supplies by our soldiers therein,” he said.
Tolentino was in Zambales on Monday to dole out P3,000 each to more than 400 fisherfolk whose livelihood depends on fishing at the West Philippine Sea.
The senator went to the town of Sta. Cruz as part of the Zambales leg of the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation Payout where 121 fisherfolks from the Burador Fisherman’s Association were given P3,000 each at the Sabang Covered Court in Barangay Sabang of the said town.
The senator next went to the town of Masinloc and doled out P3,000 each to 248 fisherfolk members of the Masinloc Fishermen’s Cooperative at the Masinloc Municipal Building. He then proceeded to the town of Subic and distributed P3,000 each to the 47 fisherfolk members of the Subic Commercial Fisher’s Association at the Waltermart.
Tolentino reiterated that the tension at the West Philippine Sea has gravely affected the country, citing that there is a need to put up archipelagic boundaries in the said area.
The archipelagic boundaries of the country would also provide authority to the government to catch and file cases to anyone trespassing the waters of the Philippines.
Currently, Tolentino and other senators have already filed the Senate Bill 2665 or the Philippine Archipelagic Sea Lanes Act. Authored by Tolentino, Senators Aquilino Pimentel III, Jinggoy Estrada, Sherwin Gatchalian, Raffy Tulfo and Bato dela Rosa, the bill aims to establish a system of sea lanes in the Philippine waters.
The senator also cited that the sea lanes are needed to ensure the security of the country, the right to enforce the country’s own territorial rules and regulations, and to freely fish and maintain the sea’s resources.