Floranda: PH doesn't need foreign military bases

Metro Manila, Philippines - The Philippines does not need foreign military bases despite tensions in the West Philippine Sea, transport leader and senatorial candidate Mody Floranda said.

In NewsWatch Plus’ election roundtable “Ang Kandidato,” Floranda was asked if the Philippines should increase its cooperation agreements with allied nations.

Floranda disagreed, saying Filipinos should get the best out of the country’s resources such as the contested West Philippine Sea.

“Dapat walang nakikialam o nanghihimasok na iba't ibang mga bansa dahil ang Philippine Sea ay pag-aari ng ating mamamayan, pag-aari ng Pilipinas. Dapat ang makinabang dito 'yung mamamayang Pilipino, hindi 'yung mga dayuhan,” Floranda explained.

[Translation: Other countries should not meddle because the Philippine Sea is owned by our people, owned by the Philippines. Filipinos should benefit from it, not foreigners.]

“Hindi natin kailangan ng iba't ibang base militar dito sa ating bansa dahil ang Pilipinas, wala namang kaaway. Nagkakaroon tayo ng malaking panganib hanggat nananatili ang base militar ng China, ng US dito sa ating bansa, at iba pang mga base militar.

[Translation: We do not need various military bases because the Philippines has no enemies. The country continues to be threatened while the military bases of China, the US, and other nations remain.]

The Philippines has a Visiting Forces Agreement with the US and Australia and a Reciprocal Access Agreement with Japan. Meanwhile, Manila’s separate deals with Canada, France, and New Zealand have yet to be formalized.

China has been intruding the Philippine waters despite a 2016 ruling invalidating Beijing’s vast claims in the South China Sea and declaring Manila’s sovereign rights in the West Philippine Sea.