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Washington–The US Pinoys for Good Governance (USP4GG) will hold a Sunday Prayer Rally and Town Hall meeting across the nation on August 21, with the goal of “educating and mobilizing community leaders” on the territorial disputes over Asia’s oil-rich Spratly Islands.

The group had held a noontime rally on July 8 in front of the embassy of the People’s Republic of China in this capital, protesting “Chinese intrusions and planned oil rigs in Philippine seas.”

Eric Lachica, USPGG D.C. events coordinator, noted that on May 27, the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs conveyed its concern to the Chinese government, citing state media reports on Beijing’s planned installation of advanced oil rig in the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea), part of Spratly Islands.

The Philippines, China, Vietnam, Brunei, Malaysia and Taiwan claim oil-rich Spratly Islands in whole or in part. USP4GG is a national organization which “focuses on issues impacting the Philippines and the Global Filipino community.”

In this capital, some 50 community members and Filipino teachers protested on July 8 in front of the Chinese embassy, wearing black shirts with the words “Our soil, Our oil.” USP4GG rallies were also held in Chinese consulates general in key cities across the nation.

House Resolution

In related news, on July 15 Congressman Eni Faleomavaega (D, American Samoa), who serves as ranking member of the Subcommittee on Asia and the Pacific, introduced House Res. 352 in the U.S. Congress. The resolution calls for a peaceful and collaborative resolution to maritime territorial disputes in the South China Sea and other maritime areas adjacent to the East Asian mainland.

Faleomavega thanked Subcommittee Chairman Don Manzullo and specially Chairman Ros-Lehtinen of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, for agreeing to his request to introduce and move the legislation forward.

Faleomavaega said, “The Chairman’s leadership on this issue sends a strong signal that the U.S. stands with our friends and allies in the region, and that we will not turn a blind eye to China’s aggression in the South China Sea.”

He noted that “although not a party to these disputes, the United States has a national economic and security interest in ensuring that no party uses force unilaterally to assert maritime territorial claims in East Asia, including in the South China Sea, the East China Sea, or the Yellow Sea.” He added, ““We also have a moral responsibility to do what is right.”

Philippine President Benigno Aquino III said on July 15, “I think that (the UN body) is the only recourse left open to us,” referring to the International Tribunal on the Law of the Sea, according to a Philippine Star report.

The paper also reported Aquino plans to visit China in late August or early September, The two countries are trying to cool tensions after the Philippines alleged that Chinese forces have repeatedly intruded into Manila-claimed Spratly areas.

Also last month, after meeting in Beijing, Chinese Foreign Minister Yang and Philippine Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario agreed the disputes should not damage overall relations between the two countries.