PRESIDENT Benigno Aquino 3rd spoke happily the other day about the situation at the Panatag or Masinloc (Scarborough) Shoal. He confirmed that the Philippines and China are holding a dialogue on the dispute. And added that “our discussions with China have never stopped.” However, what the two sides should do is agree on joint activities that they can do together. For instance, protecting the corals and biodiversity of the West Philippine Sea is a serious and urgent matter for both countries. Chinese fishing operations—which we are sure are not approved by the central government—do much damage to the corals. They harvest giant clams, shells and conches that are endangered species, against international laws. China and the Philippines should agree to return to the status quo ante, when Chinese and Filipino fishermen enjoyed camaraderie fishing beside each other. The two countries should both work to help the South China Sea return to its natural healthy state and let our great-great grandchildren settle these sovereignty disputes. — Excerpts from The Manila Times editorial __
