PHILIPPINE NORMAL UNIVERSITY

The National Center for Teacher Education

Multicultural Education Hub
MINDANAO

FLA No. 3
in
Physical Geography

Submitted by:
Kyle Rose R. Kusong
BSSE-II

Submitted to:
Rupert Jun J. Sajot
Course Instructor
 Territorial Rivalry

Where Mother Nature gives so much natural abundance, people keep on utilizing it to their
extent. From land forms to water forms it is very evident that the human race is very blessed with these
natural resources given, however due to its richness people tend to brand it as their own for some
particular reasons that usually results to conflict.

In our current state, Philippines and China has a heated issue with regards to claiming their
state’s zone; these refer to their economic zone and geographical locations. Both parties might stand
and give statements with each other like, “This is ours!” “We own this!” and some other terms, however
can these countries prove and can give evidences upon claiming and stating the statements above-
mentioned? Can these countries will be able to provide strong arguments in providing their different
claims?

Ladies and gentlemen, China as a strong country plays a big role in a global stage. They are
progressive and can afford any improvements towards developing a natural resource that would of
course benefit them alone. That is why in the issue and conflict existed in claiming a massive area in the
South China Sea, it is such a shock to the world that a small country that belongs to the third world
family like the Philippines can dare to keep on insisting their right in terms of claiming or let me say the
sense of owning an island that is accordingly belongs to its area of responsibility. Hence, it is undeniable
that China even with the thought of them, being so progressive still practice traditional beliefs that
where pass from generations to generation which affects their system of principles resulting to a clear
and justifiable reasons why this country regardless of the wealth and power that it has, still wants to
claim the island(s) that accordingly claiming by the Philippines.

The first reason that has been proposed by the Chinese are those artifacts that where found
within the vicinity of the Nanhai Zhudao (South China Sea) which includes scarborough shoal are really
from the Chinese civilization or the dynasties way back in the past. Plates and bowls which contain
Chinese style of writing is found in the islands which let them strongly believes that it was in their
history that all the islands that were found by their ancestors must and only will belong to them.
Second, based on the economic zone of China it is clearly presented that the overall territory of this
country relies on the past historiographical account and that is something that the Philippines cannot
provide. Lastly, China’s territorial directory was based on the existing facts that their ancestors wrote
back then. There is no such bias upon their presentation of fact since it was published before the
Philippines gain sovereignty from their oppressors.

On the other hand, the Philippines as a challenger of this progressive country was able also to
justify some points that let them win the heart of the United Nation’s Convention on the Law of the Sea
(UNCLOS). Since the role of this organization is to balance the rights and obligations of coastal states
with those other states these just means that the dispute of China and the Philippines has become a
great deal and must be set into peace for it will be a very big issue upon coastal territorial matters. So
then, after some several hearings it turns out that the Philippines was the rightful claimer of the islands
however, because of this matter the rivalry of fishermen’s occur that resulted to a conflict as of the
moment.

As for my own point of view, both countries must continue the good relationship that they had
promise to their peace talk. To whatever country can own this island, it must of course have a need to
deal towards conserving the water form must be put into rules and regulations to set limitations. These
limitations must revolve on proper care to the reefs and the natural habitats of the marine species, to
not just preserve it but to avoid sea creatures put into extinction.

In this world where survival is the most priority among humankind it is a justifiable act to
understand each other in terms of the natural resources that in the very first place not ours. Conflict
might be inevitable but in the end, it is us who will decide if our action is inhumane, for the dispute of
the Chinese and Filipino’s in the South China Sea don’t you dare bother claiming it as yours for in the
end we know it is neither of you two who truly own it.

Self-proclaim can sometimes lead to selfishness. You cannot get what is not yours but you can
share what you have, therefore territorial rivalry will never happen if all of us know how to share.