Philippines to build more public schools in municipalities in Kalayaan

Manila: The Philippine government will build more public schools in several municipalities in Kalayaan, the eight-island chain it has claimed since the ’70s in the Spratly Archipelago off the South China Sea, a senior official said, adding it was not right for China to complain that Kalayaan’s newly erected school which started holding classes on June 15 could infringe on China’s sovereignty in the contested area.

President Benigno Aquino said that no municipality in the Kalayaan eight island chain should be left behind in terms of getting basic education for residents there, said presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda.

“We will provide them with services as the public officials (of the education department) would inform us the need of their community (at Kalayaan),” said Lacierda. He did not give details on the number and location of public schools that will be erected at the eight-island chain claimed by the Philippines in the Spratly Archipelago.

Ten kindergarten students posed with Kalayaan town Mayor Eugenio Bito-on in a picture that was taken at the start of classes at Pag-asa Elementary School on June 15. The photo was published by the Inquirer.

“It is not nice for China to complain about the public school that we built to help Filipino residents in a community in our municipality [at the Kalayaan, on Spratly Archipelago],” said Lacierda.

“I think it is irresponsibility on our part if we do not provide services to our fellow Filipinos in that particular municipality,” he added.

“The municipality has been there and it [its existence as a municipality of a Philippine province] has never been questioned. It has been under the province of Palawan since the time of former president Ferdinand Marcos. That should not have been an issue,” he said.

Meanwhile, support for the Philippine government mounted as China aired its complaint.

“Building a school within our territory cannot in any way undermine China’s sovereignty [in the South China Sea]. The Philippine government has all the right to make use of its own territory especially to provide social services to its people,” said Congressman Walden Bello of Akbayan, a sectoral party at the House of Representatives.

“It’s already bad that China is infringing on our sovereignty with its unimpeded incursions. Now it is virtually telling us where we can and cannot implement infrastructure projects within our territory. It is absurd and boorish,” Bello said in a statement.

“It is a welcome development that a schoolhouse has been set up in Kalayaan town in Pag-asa. This would be a tremendous help in advancing the education of the children there,” said Congressman Antonio Tinio of ACT Teachers, a sectoral party at the lower house of Congress.

“The values of patriotism and love of country should be inculcated to the students [there] considering that their homes and school stand in a contested area [in the South China Sea],” said Tinio who pledged to give teaching aids and school supplies to students at the new school.

Some 200 Filipinos reside in Pagasa which houses a local government leaders’ hall, a health centre, an air strip and a naval station.