The National Security Council (NSC) has reaffirmed that Batanes is an “integral” and “indivisible” part of the Philippines.
In a statement, the NSC said claims by certain Chinese academics that Batanes belongs to China are without merit.
NSC Secretary Eduardo Oban said the government cannot ignore narratives that could be repeated to create confusion over the country’s territorial integrity.
He added that the issue is especially significant as the Philippines marks the 10th anniversary of the 2016 South China Sea Arbitral Award.
According to Oban, the ruling serves as a reminder of what is at stake when baseless narratives are allowed to evolve into territorial claims, which can then be used to justify a presence and eventually normalize coercive actions.
He stressed that the Philippines will not allow the “manufacturing” of history to become “manufactured rights.”
“The Award reminds us of what is at stake when baseless narratives are allowed to harden into claims, claims are used to justify presence, and presence is used to normalize coercion. That is why we will not allow manufactured history to become manufactured rights, nor a fabricated dispute to take root over what is unquestionably ours,” it said.
The NSC also emphasized that fabricated narratives should never be allowed to cast doubt on the country’s legitimate territory.
