The Philippines will continue to assert its sovereignty over the West Philippine Sea (WPS), Malacañang said, amid a proposal by Senator Rodante Marcoleta to give up the Kalayaan Island Group (KIG) in Palawan. Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Claire Castro said the administration remains committed to its long-standing policy of defending the country’s territory. “The President will continue his policy of defending [WPS]. Not even an inch of our territory will be surrendered to foreign powers,” Castro told local media. She added that decisions on the matter will ultimately rest with the President, the Department of Foreign Affairs, and the government. Marcoleta, during a Committee on Appointments hearing on Wednesday, argued that the Philippines should relinquish the KIG, claiming its features are “way beyond our exclusive economic zone (EEZ).” “We have islands that we are currently occupying, the KIG. They are not within our EEZ,” Marcoleta said. He added, “What we should do to make it easy, let’s just give up the KIG then we can coordinate everything.” Malacañang, however, reaffirmed that the government will continue to defend all Philippine territories and maritime claims in the West Philippine Sea. There are four features in the KIG — Pag-asa, Parola, Kota, and Lankiam. Incidentally, these four features are way, way beyond our EEZ.
