SINABI ng National Security Council (NSC) na ang salaysay ng Beijing ukol sa sinasabing ‘gentleman’s agreement’ sa West Philippine Sea (WPS) ay nakagagambala, nakalilito at naglalayon na pagwatak-watakin ang mga mamamayang Filipino.Kapuwa inihayag ng Tsina at ni dating presidential spokesperson Harry Roque, na ang sinasabing pagkabigo ng Pilipinas na sumunod sa di umano’y kasunduan na huwag magsagawa ng anumang pagkukumpuni sa nakasadsad na BRP Sierra Madre ang nagpaigting sa tensiyon sa West Philippine Sea — bahagi ng South China Sea na nasa loob ng exclusive economic zone at continental shelf ng Pilipinas.
“The President has been very clear: This administration is not aware of any secret or gentleman’s agreement and if there was such done under a previous administration, the same has been rescinded,” ayon kay National Security Adviser Eduardo Año.
Sakali aniya na may nabuo ngang kasunduan, sinabi ni Año, “it is the responsibility of those responsible for it” para ipaliwanag sa mga mamamayang Filipino na ang kasalukuyang administrasyon ay hindi nakatali rito.
Ang pahayag na ito ni Año ay matapos sabihin ng Chinese Embassy sa Maynila na inabandona ng administrasyong Marcos ang bagong kasunduan sa Beijing ukol sa Ayungin Shoal.
“This new model is nothing more than an invention,”ayon kay NSC Assistant Director General Jonathan Malaya.
“The propaganda masters at the Chinese Embassy are clearly working overtime to sow discord and division in our country for one purpose alone: to show that the Philippines is the one sowing tensions and conflict in the West Philippine Sea,” aniya pa rin.
“President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and his administration “can never agree to any understanding that violates our understanding of our territory and international law,” lahad nito sabay sabing
“Kung ano man ang sinasabi ng Chinese Embassy, let’s take it with a grain of salt. These are the same people who said that the entire South China Sea is theirs.”
Nauna rito, inamin ni Duterte ang kasunduan kay Chinese President Xi Jinping na magkaroon ng “status quo” sa WPS o walang gagalawin o babaguhin sa estado ng mga pinag-aagawang teritoryo sa naturang bahagi ng karagatan.
“The only thing I remember was that status quo… No movement, no armed patrols there. As is, where is, para hindi tayo magkagulo,” ayon kay Duterte.
Pumiyok din ang dating pangulo sa naging pahayag ng kanyang dating tagapagsalita na si Atty. Harry Roque tungkol sa pagbabawal na magdala ng construction materials sa BRP Sierra Madre na nakahimpil malapit sa Ayungin Shoal.
“As is, where is nga. You cannot bring in materials to repair and improve. Wala `yan,” sabi ni Duterte. (Daris Jose)
IPINAG-UTOS ni Pangulong Ferdinand Marcos Jr., sa Department of Agriculture (DA) na i-promote ang madaling pagnenegosyo sa bansa base sa kanilang pamamaraan partikular na ang pag-alias sa non-tariff barriers sa importasyon ng agricultural products, para maibaba ang presyo at tiyakin ang suplay.
HINIKAYAT ni Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Benjamin Abalos Jr. ang mga residente ng National Capital Region (NCR) na bisitahin ang ‘Super Kadiwa’ centers para makabili ng bigas sa halagang P39/kg. at iba pang abot-kayang “high-quality produce.”
IPINALABAS ng Malakanyang ang mga pangalan ng 13 bagong appointees kabilang na si dating Foreign Affairs at Justice undersecretary Brigido Dulay.
Swiss Ambassador H.E. Dr. Nicolas Brühl together with leaders of the Philippine Cancer Society, ICANSERVE Foundation and Novartis Healthcare Philippines formally handed over the Pink Initiative Discussion Paper and Manifesto of Patient Support to officials of the Philippine Government. The formal handover was held last February 29 at the Novartis-supported plenary session “Beyond the Pink Ribbon: Empowering Patients to Navigate the Healthcare Maze for Better Breast Cancer Survivorship” during the Philippine National Cancer Summit.