INQToday: China’s ‘monster ship’ keeps ignoring PH call to leave WPS | Inquirer News

INQToday: China’s ‘monster ship’ keeps ignoring PH call to leave WPS

/ 01:15 PM January 17, 2025

Here’s a quick roundup of today’s top stories:

China’s ‘monster ship’ keeps ignoring PH call to leave WPS

The world’s largest coast guard vessel, China Coast Guard (CCG) 5901, is maintaining its presence off Zambales province in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) despite Manila’s calls for Beijing to withdraw the ship as the incoming US secretary of state urged China to “stop messing around” with the Philippines.

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Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) Commodore Jay Tarriela, the PCG spokesperson for the WPS, said on Wednesday night that the BRP Gabriela Silang has been constantly challenging the presence of the Chinese ship.

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Trump’s top diplomat pick: China must ‘stop messing around’ with PH

Senator Marco Rubio, US President-elect Donald Trump’s pick to lead the State Department, said China should “stop messing around” with the Philippines and Taiwan, noting that its “deeply destabilizing” actions in the region are compelling the US to “counteract.”

During his confirmation hearing before the US Senate Committee on Foreign Relations on Thursday (Manila time), Jan. 16, Rubio discouraged Beijing from carrying out “anything rash or irrational” when it comes to the Philippines or Taiwan if it is serious about stabilizing US-China relations.

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Marcos wants ample budget for key DepEd projects amid cuts

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. urged substantial allocations for key programs of the Department of Education (DepEd), which warned that cuts in its 2025 budget could worsen teacher shortage in the country.

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The Presidential Communications Office (PCO) said that Marcos met with DepEd officials in Malacañang on Thursday and noted budget reductions in various education projects, although the sector is one of his administration’s top priorities.

NCRPO logs 23.73% drop in crime under new chief

The National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) reported a 23 percent decrease in crime in more than one month.

According to data from the Metro Manila police, from Nov. 23, 2024 to Jan. 15, 2025, it seized P153 million worth of illegal drugs.

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TAGS: Bongbong Marcos, China, China Coast Guard, DepEd, Jay Tarriela, NCRPO, TESDA

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