THE Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) on Monday said it would continue to confront illegal patrols in the South China Sea as it tries to prevent China from “normalizing such unlawful actions.”

“If we fail to challenge this, China will succeed in establishing a precedent for its maritime forces’ illegal patrols in the future,” it said in a statement.

It added that the deployment of white hull vessels in the face of China’s incursions into its waters signals its intent to manage tensions peacefully.

The Philippine Coast Guard said the use of its assets amid the presence of Chinese vessels including China’s “monster ship” within Manila’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ) in the South China Sea “aims not to provoke China, but to resolve differences through rational discussion and adherence to international law.”

“It is also important to highlight that the deployment of our white hull vessels to address China’s unlawful presence demonstrates the government’s intent to deescalate tensions and pursue a peaceful resolution to these violations of international law,” it added.

The Philippines last week accused China of intimidating Filipino fishermen near Scarborough Shoal and normalizing its “illegal presence” after Beijing sent its biggest coast guard ship into the Philippine EEZ.

China Coast Guard (CCG)-5901 was about 175.94 kilometers from the coast of Zambales province as of 9 p.m. on Sunday.

The monster ship, first spotted within the Philippine EEZ on Jan. 4, “moved further away” from the PCG vessel Gabriela Silang, the agency said in a statement on Sunday night. It said another Chinese vessel, CCG-3304, approached the coast of Zambales at 120.38 kilometers.

“Although the monster ship has departed, it is important to note that CCG-3304, its replacement, remains larger than the largest PCG vessel,” the Philippine side said, referring to the 97-meter muti-role response vessel BRP Teresa Magbanua.

CCG-3304 is 111 meters long and 46 meters wide, it said.

It said the 83-meter French-built BRP Gabriela Silang “continues to diligently fulfill its patriotic mission of challenging the unlawful presence of the Chinese Coast Guard.”

The Philippine Coast Guard said it must confront illegal patrols “as it prevents China from normalizing such unlawful actions.” “If we fail to challenge this, China will succeed in establishing a precedent for its maritime forces’ illegal patrols in the future.”

“Therefore, no matter how long it takes, the PCG vessels will always be present to prevent China from changing the status quo,” it added.

The PCG said China’s “disregard of international law” is a matter of concern not only for the Philippine government but for the entire region and the international community.

“If the People’s Republic of China feels emboldened to ignore UNCLOS (United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea) and unlawfully patrol the EEZ of other states, what will stop it from doing the same to additional countries?” it asked.

“While some may argue they are prepared to defend their rights, isn’t that precisely what we are trying to prevent?” it added.

“A world increasingly dominated by rising tensions among sovereign nations is not what we desire. This is why international law has been established — to ensure equality and uphold the sovereignty of all nations.”

A United Nations-backed tribunal in 2016 voided China’s expansive claims in the South China Sea, as it ruled Scarborough Shoal, which Beijing has controlled since 2012, is a traditional fishing ground for Filipino, Chinese and Vietnamese fishermen.

The shoal, which Manila calls Bajo de Masinloc, is 241 kilometers off Zambales and is within the Philippines’ 200-nautical mile EEZ. — Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza

PRESIDENT Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. on Monday vowed to veto a bill that seeks to prevent teen pregnancy through a comprehensive sex education campaign, saying it promotes “woke mentality.”

He noted that while he is in favor of sex education, he was “appalled” by some elements in Senate Bill 1979 or the proposed Prevention of Adolescent Pregnancy Act.

He echoed an allegation by a conservative group led by former Chief Justice Maria Lourdes P.A. Sereno that the bill seeks to teach kids how to masturbate, a claim that the bill’s proponent in the Senate has debunked.

Mr. Marcos blamed “woke mentality” that he said the bill’s proponents are “trying to bring into our system.”

“You will teach four-year-olds how to masturbate,” the President said. “That every child has the right to try different sexualities. This is ridiculous. It is abhorrent.”

“It is a travesty of what sexual and sex education should be to the children. If this bill is passed in that form, I guarantee all parents, teachers, and children: I will immediately veto it.”

Ms. Sereno’s Project Dalisay linked the measure’s sex education provision to a technical guidance by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization and World Health Organization for sex education, which tackles masturbation.

“The two international documents are quite candid about its normalization,” the group of the ousted chief justice said in a statement earlier this month.

In response to Mr. Marcos’ remarks, Senator Ana Theresia “Risa” Hontiveros-Baraquel reiterated that nowhere in the bill is childhood masturbation mentioned.

“Mr. President, with all due respect, it’s clear that there is no such word as masturbation in the bill,” she said in a video statement.

She also said the bill does not encourage kids to “try different sexualities.” “Child sex education contains the very same things you support: teaching kids — anatomy and the consequences of early pregnancy.”

“I am willing to accept amendments to refine the bill so we can steer it to passage,” she added.

Ms. Hontiveros has said Project Dalisay’s claims were fake news.

The Senate bill pushes a compulsory comprehensive sex education in schools that is “medically accurate, culturally sensitive, rights-based and inclusive and nondiscriminatory.”

With the passage of the Reproductive Health Act of 2012, sex education has been incorporated into the curriculum of public school students aged 10-19. The Senate bill is yet to be scheduled for floor debates.

The Commission on Population and Development last week flagged the rising incidence of teen pregnancies, particularly those under 15 years old, as it urged the Senate to pass the teenage pregnancy bill.

Pregnancies among minors aged 10 to 14 are at an alarming state “that needs a more responsive policy,” it said in a statement.

Repeat pregnancies also remain an issue, with 38 young girls under 15 having experienced it in 2023, it said. Seventeen women have given birth to five or more babies before they turned 20, it added.

The problem calls for a “comprehensive, age-sensitive sexuality education to address the issue,” Undersecretary Lisa Grace S. Bersales said.

The sex education curriculum will tackle “human sexuality, informed consent, adolescent reproductive health, effective contraceptive use, disease prevention, HIV/AIDS, sexually transmitted infections, gender sensitivity, gender equality and equity, teen dating, gender-based violence, sexual abuse and exploitation, peer pressure, women’s and children’s rights and issues like pornography,” according to the Senate bill. — Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza