Philippines uses tourism to advance South China Sea claims
https://asia.nikkei.com/Politics/In...ses-tourism-to-advance-South-China-Sea-claims
PUERTO PRINCESA, Philippines -- In what he later described as a "once-in-a-lifetime experience," fishing enthusiast Douglas Ebita sprawled out on a white sand beach embracing a five-foot-long tuna. The 28-year-old said there was another reason why the fish was special: He caught it in the disputed South China Sea.
Although Ebita lives in Palawan in the southwest Philippines, this was his first time to visit the area and he was overwhelmed at the sights and sounds he encountered. "Just the beauty of the beach, the water there, the experience of fishing and birding -- you will not experience those elsewhere," Ebita told Nikkei Asia.
He was one of the passengers on "The Great Kalayaan Expedition," a weeklong tour in the South China Sea. The tourist venture is part of the Philippines' latest effort to assert its rights in the resource-rich waterway, where Beijing has made expansive claims. The tour lets visitors sail crystal clear waters, takes them along white sand beaches and gives them a view of lush green jungle.
To bolster the Philippines' claim to the waters, the administration of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has invited the U.S. military to increase their presence in the country, granting them access to more bases while stepping up patrols to safeguard what Manila calls the "West Philippine Sea."
The tour is organized by the municipality that administers the Kalayaan group of islands more than 450 kilometers west of the island of Palawan. Kalayaan, which means "freedom," is just 14 nautical miles (26 km) from the nearest island that Beijing has reclaimed and militarized to bolster its "Nine Dash Line" claims.
Ken Hupanda, Kalayaan's tourism program manager, helped organize the tour. He said the program's aim is to "assert territorial integrity through soft diplomacy."
"We are a normal municipality. We have been declared a municipality by law. So, the law also tells us to do our own thing. It gives us the liberty to decide for our future," Hupanda said.
Douglas Ebita, a Filipino tourist, celebrates having caught a tuna in the South China Sea. The Philippines is promoting tours of the area to strengthen its claims to islands that China covets. (Photo from Douglas Ebita's Facebook page)
The maiden voyage in March departed from Palawan aboard a Philippine Coast Guard ship that made stops on three Philippine-controlled islands. Passengers took part in such activities as fishing, bird-watching, and diving.
"When we saw the birds, they seemed to welcome us," recreational fisherman Radsh Roxas said. His colleague Clarence Factor said: "The waters there were so clean," adding that the islands were "paradise."
To facilitate the tour, Hupanda persuaded the government and military officials to lift a ban on visitors to disputed areas in the South China Sea. The restriction had been in place to avoid stoking tensions. But Hupanda argued it was time for people to see the islands in a different light. "We're in the news for all the bad reasons. When you see the West Philippine Sea, it's always about the dispute."
Headlines from the area often focus on the presence of Chinese militia, Filipino fishermen's catch being seized by Chinese vessels and tense encounters between vessels from the two countries.
The tour costs 120,000 pesos ($2,400) per person, which is pricey by local standards. It is operated by a local cooperative composed of the town's tourism agents, who pooled their money to make an initial investment in the program. For their next expedition, they plan to rent a yacht that will ferry tourists to the islands.
"We want this to happen because we want everybody to know that it is possible. Our product model is working ... and it can generate money. We just need to have the right investment," Hupanda said.
A marker on Nanshan Island asserts the Philippines' claim to the disputed territory in the South China Sea. (Photo from Douglas Ebita's Facebook channel)
Tourism is the lifeblood of Palawan province, home to white sand beaches and Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site. The industry generated revenue of 16 billion pesos in 2019, according to government data. Kalayaan wants to market itself as Palawan's adventure capital, although future tours might include sightings of Chinese Coast Guard ships.
During the first expedition, participants encountered a Chinese Coast Guard vessel shadowing their ship. They also received text messages from their telecommunications service providers, greeting them with the message: "Welcome to China!" and "Welcome to Vietnam!" Ebita called the experience "exciting."
Hupanda and the organizers briefed participants about the presence of foreign vessels. "We can't avoid them," Hupanda said. He added that the tour had been coordinated with the Philippine military, which identified the "safest islands" to visit. Future trips will have Philippine Coast Guard escorts.
Hupanda said he expected the South China Sea tensions would, at some point, affect the tours. But he also hoped the tourism project would ease tensions in the area.
The next trip slated for May 29 to June 4 and its 20 available slots have been taken by travelers from as far afield as Switzerland, Australia, and France. Chinese tourists are also welcome to join future tours, Hupanda said.
"If we can't understand each other in the language of politics, let's understand each other in the language of business," Hupanda said.
