NEW YORK, NY – Over 250 Fil-Ams gathered on July 8 at noon in front of the Consulate of China in Midtown Manhattan to protest China’s intrusion of Philippine seas. China’s government has formally expressed plans to extract oil in the Spratly islands on territory belonging to the Philippines according the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
Under the UNCLOS, a nation owns the oil, mineral and other resources within a two hundred nautical mile radius from its shore (called Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ)).
China appears determined to begin its billion-dollar oil rig installation this month approximately 125 miles from the Philippine province of Palawan, within the Philippines’ EEZ.In May, the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) conveyed its formal protest to the PRC government over reports of its state media about Beijing’s planned installation of its most advanced oil rig in the West Philippine Sea this July.
According to the Xinhua Report, “CNOOC (China National Offshore Oil Corp) plans to invest 200 billion yuan ($30 billion) and drill 800 deep water wells – which they expect to have an output of an equivalent 500 million barrels of oil by the year 2020.”
The target production of oil within Philippine waters in the Spratly islands is projected to be equivalent to approximately 50 Billion USD per year.
Fil-Am civilians - some of whom came from as far as Philadelphia, Boston and Delaware - showed up in force, armed with bullhorns, Philippine flags and placards with slogans like “China, Stay out of Philippine Seas!”
The rallies were synchronized with similar demonstrations in front of China’s Consular Offices in eleven major cities including Washington DC, Chicago, Los Angeles, Houston, San Francisco, and Hawaii as well as in Toronto, Canada and key cities in the Philippines. In Washington DC, the crowds in front of the Embassy of China were chanting, “No Trespassing, Stop Harassing!”
The protest actions were called for by the US Pinoys for Good Governance (USP4GG), a national organization led by Loida Nicolas Lewis and Rodel Rodis.
“I am so proud of my fellow Fil-Ams for coming on such short notice, from all corners of the east coast to show that they care about our motherland and our fellow Filipinos,” said Loida Nicolas Lewis. “Today we stood up for our country and stepped out to the streets around the world, to show China that even though we are little, we cannot be bullied.”
“In terms of sheer number and in economic and military power, China is much bigger and more powerful. But in willpower and love of country, we showed our strength and sympathy for the plight of our fellow Filipinos,” added Lewis. “Every barrel of oil that China intends to take from us is a barrel that could save a Filipino family from poverty.”
Fil-Ams from all walks of life and professions took an hour or day off from their jobs to walk, commute or drive to the protest site and be part of the movement. Some of them took five minutes. Others took five hours.
USP4GG has vowed to continue their calls for protecting Philippine sovereignty until a peaceful resolution has been reached - or until China promises, and keep its promise, to stay out of Philippine seas.
(USP4GG)
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