‘We don’t have power’: Castriciones wants strengthened gov’t to fight for WPS

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines must strengthen its government to be able to fight for the West Philippine Sea, senatorial aspirant John Castriciones said, noting that the country does not have the power.

“You know, it would be difficult to engage in international diplomacy if you are a weak country. It’s difficult,” Castriciones, former agrarian reform chief, said on INQside Look that aired on Friday.

“If we want to pursue our claims in terms of territories, it will be difficult for the international community to hear us if we are weak if we don’t have the power,” he added.

Castriciones said that the nation should focus on improving the government and its people to gather necessary support.

“So, for the meantime that we do not have the power, what we must concentrate on is to strengthen our government, to strengthen our economy, to strengthen our people and motivate them to have genuine nationalism so that we would be able to amass the support and the resources that are needed to fight these territories,” he pointed out.

According to Castriciones, the Philippines is confronted by a more powerful country which it sometimes depends on when it comes to employment, among others.

In 2021 alone, the country filed 153 diplomatic protests against China for its actions in the country’s waters, the Department of Foreign Affairs reported in October.

RELATED STORIES

What protest? China militia vessels return to reef inside PH EEZ

Castriciones opposes same-sex marriage, divorce, abortion

Substitution ’successful’ when Duterte won as president — Castriciones

je