Treading through Tine's Line: July 2016

There's been a lot going on in the country to date. Just recently, we had inaugurated the 16th president of the Philippines and the 14th vice-president. If you're up to date with the politics in the country then you're well aware of how chaotic things had been since the proclamation of the winners. Furthermore, its a common knowledge that there has been a gap between the highest positions in our government. Duterte had initially said he would not give Robredo any cabinet position due to his close association with Marcos, who also ran for vice-president. Anyways, to make things short, Duterte changed his mind and gave Robredo a position in the cabinet involving housing.

Also, drug raids and arrests, killings and ambushes ~~that are also drug-related~~ has been a staple in our nightly news. It's kinda scary but this has been part of the change everybody has been expecting. On a lighter note, congested and usually garbage riddled areas are becoming way cleaner, this has been credited to the new administration as well. The new cabinet members have been named over the past weeks and they pretty much started with whatever their respective job entail.

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And today, we are expecting another matter that would greatly affect how we perceive this new administration. You see, the decision over the arbitration case the Philippines had filed against China is due today. Its been a bone of contention among the Southeast Asian nations and China on who actually has jurisdiction over the area. China has been building artificial islands and bases over the last two years in the West Philippine Sea. Its navy is around the clock over the area and has been the bane of the local fishermen('s) livelihood.

http://www.planetarianperspectives.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/westphlsea1.jpg

Area in question, so who actually owns it? (Image from http://www.planetarianperspectives.net)

The matter has been in the Hague tribunal and didn't exactly get much highlight. But we are now holding our breaths and mind you its not just us who's waiting on how things turn out. Many countries would be greatly affected --- not just economically. China had refused to address this suit and said that they would not abide with the tribunal's decision at all, huh, go figure.

Here's an excerpt from an article that would give you the 411 on what China thinks about all this.

The Philippines, led by Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario, presented its claims while China continued to refuse to participate insisting it had “indisputable sovereignty” and “historic rights” to the South China Sea.

“China opposes any move by the Philippines to initiate and push forward the arbitral proceeding,” Hua said.

“On issues of territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests, China will never accept any imposed solution or unilaterally resorting to a third-party settlement,” she said.

China claims the entire South China Sea through its nine-dash line concept which overlaps with the Philippines 200-nautical mile exclusive economic zone mandated by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

Read more: http://globalnation.inquirer.net/126097/china-we-are-the-victims-in-dispute-wont-heed-un-decision#ixzz4EB72LQnv

Here are some links to articles regarding the issue:

http://www.inquirer.net/west-philippine-sea/articles?nav=140909&chan=9

http://globalnation.inquirer.net/140807/hague-tribunal-to-rule-in-tense-south-china-sea-row

http://time.com/4400671/philippines-south-china-sea-arbitration-case/

http://cnnphilippines.com/videos/2016/07/11/PH-maritime-case-Whats-at-stake.html
http://cnnphilippines.com/news/2016/07/12/South-China-Sea-West-Philippine-Sea-The-Hague-arbitration-case-explainer.html

So you see, there is a lot of change going on. And the second half of the year has barely began.