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We own 79 hectares of the Spratlys archipelago. The area is in seven
islets and one reef known collectively as the municipality of
Kalayaan. The town has 236 registered voters.
But the more important ownership are the waters
around the islands. Under the archipelagic theory, you can draw 200
miles from the coast or baseline, and that is what you call your
Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).
The EEZ is a strange concept in international
law where a small country can actually multiply several times its
effective territory. France, for instance, has only 0.45 percent of
the earth’s land area but it has eight percent (11 million sq kms,
No. 2 in the world, behind the U.S.’s 11.35 million) of EEZ. Why?
Because it conquered many territories.
The archipelagic concept, meanwhile, states that
“the islands, waters and other natural features form an intrinsic
geographical, economic and political entity.” To protect that
territory, you need firepower, credible firepower, which we don’t
have. Our navy ships are older than the navy captains and admirals
who command them. Without armed power, expect more than 100 years of
tension in the Spratlys to enforce our claim.
I looked at Wikipedia and Google for a
description of the islands. On paper, the islands or islets don’t
seem to be worth that much for the Philippines to go to war with.
But then, that is looking at today.
Kalayaan town is located in the western section
of the Palawan province. It is composed of seven islets and one reef
with total land area of about 79 hectares. They are: a) Pag-asa,
32.7 has.; b) Likas, 18.6 has.; c) Parola, 12.7 has.; d) Lawak, 7.9
has.; e) Kota, 6.45 has.; f) Patag, 0.57 ha.; g) Panata, 0.44 ha.;
h) Ayungin Reef, 0 ha; and I) Rizal Reef, 0 ha.
Pagasa (Thitu Island) is the biggest, 37.2
hectares. The airstrip in the island as an area of 5.6 hectares,
running a length of approximately 1,260 meters
Next largest is Likas (West York Is), located 47
miles northeast of Pag-asa and covers 18.6 hectares with outcrops
visible on the southern and eastern portion of the island during low
tides. This island is a sanctuary for giant sea turtles (pawikan)
that lay their eggs on the island all year round. Ground water is
highly saline.
Smaller than Likas Island is the Parola
(Northeast Cay), 28 miles northwest of Pag-asa Island. Parola has a
land area of approximately 12.7 hectares and is closer to the
Vietnamese-occupied Pugad island than to Pag-asa Island. Some of its
outcrops are visible on its western side. It has high salinity
groundwater and vegetation limited to beach type of plants. The
corals around the island were mostly destroyed by rampant dynamite
fishing and cyanide employed by foreign fishing boats in the past.
Kota (Loita Is) has a land area of 6.45 hectares
and is 22 miles southeast of Pag-asa. It fringes the Laoita bank and
reef. The presence of migrating sea birds adds to the high
phosphorus contents of the sand found in the island. Occasionally,
giant sea turtles are reported to be laying their eggs in the
island.
Panata (Lankiam Cay) is 8 miles northeast of
Kota Island. It has a surface area of 4,400 sq. meters (0.44
hectare).
Lawak (Nanshan Is) covers 7.93 hectares and
located 98.0 miles east of Pag-asa. It is the bird sanctuary of
Kalayaan. Its surroundings are highly phosphatized.
Patag Island (Flat Is.) is 6 miles southwest of
Lawak Island and has a surface area of 5,740 sq. meters (0.574
hectare). It is a cay. It changes its shape seasonally. The sand
buildup will depend largely on the direction of prevailing wind and
waves. Presently, it is elongated, three years ago it had a shape
like that of a crescent moon, and years back it formed the shape of
a letter “S.”
Like Panata Island, Patag is barren of any
vegetation. No underground water source is found in the island. This
island serves only as a military observation post.
Rizal or Commodore Reef is nearest to Balabac.
It is a typical reef lying underwater and is being manned by a
military contingent based in the area.
The islets that comprise the Pag-Asa
municipality are generally flat. The highest ground elevation is
approximately two meters above sea level.
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