CONSTRUCTIVE SPEECH – Minimum of 5 mins, but Maximum of 7 mins.

Is the Philippine should adopt the "Friendlier Approach" to China to resolve the conflict on the West
Philippine Sea?

Good morning, ladies and gentlemen. I am Maribeth Salvadora, the team captain of Group 4. We are on
the negative side, and we firmly believe that the Philippines should not adopt a friendlier approach to
China to resolve the conflict on the WPS. We strongly agree that the friendlier approach only tolerates
and permits the continuous exploitation of China through their assertiveness in the form of offshore
drilling, land reclamation and militarization activities, harassment of foreign fishing and oil exploration
ships. It only allows them to take advantage of our territorial sea and exclusive economic zone. In the
bilateral meeting of President Marcos at Thailand, the President of China Xi Jin Ping states that he wants
‘friendly’ approach to the WPS dispute for the Philippine;s national development and economic
revitalization. But as we observe, "China is behaving like a bully” as per Gilberto Teodoro Jr said the
Philippines Defense Chief/Secretary. According to the fishers group Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang
Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas, Zambales fisherfolk have been losing 70% of their income per fishing trip
since 2020 due to intensifies harassment and presence of China vessels. Many Filipinos depend on the
WPS. And Experts fear that the continuous harassment and incursions vessels may have a long lasting
impact and eventually lead to the collapse of the fishing industry in the Philippines.

Retired Supreme Court senior associate justice Antonio Carpio, an expert on the issue, said that in 2016,
an international tribunal in The Hague ruled in favor of the Philippines in a landmark maritime dispute,
which concluded that China has no legal basis to claim historic rights to the bulk of the South China Sea.
As we all know, it is our country's Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), which China repeatedly violates.
China submitted nine dashed lines as their national boundaries in 2009. Nevertheless, China did not
explain sufficiently the legal basis for the dashes, and the dashes had no fixed coordinates. As a matter of
fact, on August 31, 2023, the Philippines rejected the 2023 version of China's Standard Map issued by
the Ministry of Natural Resources of the People's Republic of China on August 28, 2023, as Hontiveros
took it a step further by calling China “delusional” for the move.

According to Article 192 of the UNCLOS (United Nations Convention for the Law of the Sea), "states have
the obligation to protect and preserve the marine environment." But as we observe, China's massive and
wanton reclamation in the Spratlys is destroying the marine environment. In addition to our 1987
constitution of the Republic of the Philippines, Article 12 of the National Economic and Patrimony Act,
Section 2, states, "The state shall protect the nation's wealth in its archipelagic waters, territorial sea, and
exclusive economic zone and preserve its use and enjoyment exclusively for Filipino citizens."
Knowing the Constitution and the historical rights that we have as a country proves that the West
Philippine Sea is exclusively for Filipino citizens. In November 2002, ASEAN states and the People's
Republic of China agreed upon a Declaration on the Conduct of Parties to the Southeast China Sea.
Then, on January 22, 2013, the Philippines instituted arbitral proceedings against China in a dispute
concerning their respective "Maritime Entitlements". As a matter of fact, China failed to comply with the
tribunal's decision. As Justice Carpio said "Comply strictly with UNCLOS because one day we will use
UNCLOS to defend our EEZ in the WPS against China".

Above all, we can still fight in a legal and non-violent way. As long as the Philippines is following the
arbitral ruling, China has no basis to declare war against the Philippines, as explained by Justice Carpio.
So it is necessary to examine, act, get involved, and stand on our historical facts. In regards with maritime
disputes in the West Philippine Sea. We, the negative side is firmly in the side of Preventive diplomacy rather than
Friendlier. According to the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) secretary, Enrique A. Manalo (DFA),
diplomatic protest is the most common method the country can use to address issues in the West
Philippine Sea. Preventive diplomacy is a diplomatic action taken to prevent disputes from arising
between parties, to prevent existing disputes from escalating into conflicts, and to limit the spread of the
latter when they occur. We cannot resort to establishing a warmer friendship with China because this
does not only fail to serve the purpose of the state to resolve such a dispute, but it also condones the
blatant abuse and exploitation when we are legally entitled to stop them.

Therefore, the negative team is firmly AGREE that the Philippines should NOT adapt its friendlier
approach to China to resolve the conflict in the West Philippine Sea. As retired Justice Carpio said
"Let us not be afraid to fight because law and history are on our side".
Just-War Theory

The classic Just-War Theory has its origins in Christian theology. Saint Augustine is usually identified as the first
individual to offer a theory on war and justice. The Saint referred to the Bible and regarded some wars as
necessary to amend an evil. Saint Thomas Aquinas revised Augustine's version, creating three criteria for a just
war: the war needed to be waged by a legitimate authority, have a just cause, and have the right intentions .. The
Just-War Theory is a set of rules for military combat.

Principles of Just-War Theory

2. Legitimate Authority

A just war is waged by a legitimate authority. A war cannot be waged by individuals or groups that do not
constitute the legitimate government. A just war can only be waged after all peaceful options are
considered. The use of force can only be used as a last resort.

3. Just Cause

A just war needs to be in response to a wrong suffered. Self-defense against an attack always constitutes a
just war; however, the war needs to be fought with the objective to correct the inflicted wound.

5. Right Intention

The primary objective of a just war is to re-establish peace. In particular, the peace after the war should
exceed the peace that would have St. Thomas Aquinas succeeded without the use of force. The aim of the
use of force must be justice.

Friendship cannot be used blindly to deliver an abuser and serve their interests on the deck. We
cannot compromise sovereignty and national security for friendship. It is thus far a tolerance-
fueled idea of bilateral relations. The friendlier approach cannot compensate for the loss of
resources because it does not work, considering that the foreign policy of the Philippines towards
China has been in need of recalibration and balancing.

As one of the National Security Experts which is "Dr. Rommel Banlaoi said, "Preventive Diplomacy is the best
approach in order to prevent our region from being the avenue of any forms of military conflicts". In regards with
maritime disputes in the West Philippine Sea. We, the negative side is firmly in the side of Preventive diplomacy
rather than Friendlier. According to Senior Justice Carpio and other Diplomatic experts said, there are still ways to
resolve the conflict on WPS through diplomacy and other peaceful methods and one of it is, as a Filipino is to have a
strong political will that historically and constitutionally, that WPS is really ours and next is pursuing consistently of
Multilateral Agreements with other countries, especially in our neighbor countries. The Mutual Defense Treaty with
the United States. Lastly is to sending petitions to UNCLOS Tribunal for all of the China’s damages to our marine
and aquatic resources.
REBUTTAL: Minimum of 3 minutes

Going back to the question I asked ealier Is, IF the Philippine should adopt the "Friendlier Approach" to
China to resolve the conflict on the West Philippine Sea?

To answer that question, Despite being favored by the historic 2016 ruling of the International Permanent
Court of Arbitration to the Philippines, China's bullying behavior towards the Philippines still continues,
From shining lasers at Philippine ships in February to firing water cannons, and recently, the floating
barrier installed by China in the Scarborough Shoal. The major affected here is our Filipino. However, we
have to go back to the fact that setting boundaries, imposing stricter restrictions, and holding China
accountable for its actions is never an invitation to war, nor is it considered a primary necessity, but a call
for justice. We cannot compromise sovereignty and national security for friendship. The friendlier
approach cannot compensate for the loss of resources because it does not work, considering that the
foreign policy of the Philippines towards China has been in need of recalibration and balancing.
Preventive diplomacy, or diplomatic protest, is the best way that we can use to address issues in the
West Philippine Sea, as the Department of Foreign Affairs Secretary Manalo said.

As the Philippine President Marcos said “We are not looking for trouble. What we will do is continue
defending the Philippines, the maritime territory of the Philippines, and the rights of our fishermen, who
have been fishing there for hundreds of years and We had no choice but to stand up to China because
otherwise “we lose our identity and integrity as a nation and Standing up doesn’t mean really going to war
with China; we don’t want that. But we have to stand our ground when our ground is intruded into..
“Therefore, we, the negative side, firmly agree that the Philippines should not adopt the friendlier
approach to China to resolve the conflict on the WPS. “It’s not only for us but for future
generations as well.