SPRATLY ISLANDS(KAPULUAN NG KALAYAAN)

Kalayaan

This municipality became part of the Philippine Territory on July 11, 1987 through Presidential Decree No. 1596

issued by the late President Ferdinand E. Marcos, declaring the surrounding waters as part of the Philippine and as a municipality under the provincial and administrative jurisdiction of Palawan.

KALAYAAN GROUP OF ISLANDS

The Philippine assertion of sovereignty over the Spratly Islands began in May 1956.

In September 1956, after the Republic of China occupied the largest island, Ligao Island (Itu Aba), Tomas Cloma decided to cede and sell all the territories of his state to the Philippines for just one peso (US$0.50 of the time).

History

In 1978, the Philippine Presidential Decree No. 1596 underscored the fact that Kalayaan is within the Philippine 200-mile exclusive economic zone. On the whole the Philippine claim extends over an area of 70,150 sq. nm.

Republic Act 1952

- Republic Act 9522, which defined the archipelagic baselines of the Philippines, claimed sovereignty over the Kalayaan Island Group under Section 2, sub-paragraph A which described the territory as a "Regime of Islands"—a concept defined in the United Nation Convention on Law of the Sea for similar bodies of land.

The Municipality of Kalayaan is located in the western section of the Province of Palawan. It is composed of six (6) islets, two (2) cays (parts of larger reefs) and two (2) reefs with aggregate land area of approximately 79 hectares.

Geography

PHILIPPINE OCUPATION

 Pagasa (Thitu) Island

Likas (West York) Island

Parola Island (Northeast Cay)

Kota (Loaita) Island

Lawak (Nanshan) Island, and

 Pugad Island (Southwest Cay).

Two small islands:

Patag (Flat) Island and

Panata Island (Lankiam Cay), were also occupied. Both are less than a hectare in size.

TOPOGRAPHY

The islets that comprise the Municipality are generally flat. The highest ground elevation is approximately two (2) meters above sea level.

FILIPINOS IN PAG-ASA ISLAND

Population: no indigenous population

Ethnic groups: various

According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 222 people.

Demographic profile

POPULATION CENSUS OF KALAYAAN

Year Population

±%

1990 50 ___

1995 349 +598.0%2000 223 −36.1%2005 114 −48.9%2010 222 +94.7%

Rancudo Airfield

- Pag-asa island hosts a 1,300 meter runway constructed in the early 70s on orders of MGEN Jose Rancudo, Commanding General of the Philippine Air Forces. In February 1992, the Armed Forces of the Philippines named the runway "Rancudo Airfield" in honor of its architect.

Transportation

TELECOMMUNICATIONS

The first call on the system took place on June 12 at 5:18 PM between the mayor of the municipality at the time and a Smart Telecom executive. The company completed a maintenance visit to the cell site in 2011, thus ensuring continued operation of the facility.

POLITICS

The first ever recorded election in Kalayaan during the post Marcos dictatorship was on January 30, 1980 where Mr. Aloner M. Heraldo was elected as the first Municipal Mayor.

On january 18, 1988 the Municipality of Kalayaan after the Marcos regime was “demilitarized” and the first appointed Mayor was Alejandro Rodriguez was subsequently replaced by his appointed Vice-mayor Gaudencio R. Avencena.

The first free election in Kalayaan was held on May 11, 1992.

The current Mayor of Municipality of Kalayaan is Eugenio B. Bito-Onon Jr. He won his second term as Mayor on May 13, 2013.

Features DetailsPagasa Island (Thitu Island)Likas Island (West York Island)

Parola Island (Northeast Cay)Lawak Island (Nanshan Island)Kota Island (Loaita Island)Patag Island (Flat Island)Panata Island (Lankiam Cay)Rizal Reef (Commodore Reef)

Balagtas Reef (Irving Reef)

Ayungin reef (Second Thomas reef)

37.2 ha. (2nd largest), pag-asa means hope18.6 ha. (3rd largest), líkas means natural or evacuate12.7 ha. (5th largest), parola means lighthouse7.93 ha. (8th largest), lawak means vastness6.45 ha. (10th largest), kuta means fortress0.57 ha. (14th largest), patag means flat0.44 ha. (15th largest and the smallest), panatâ means vowRizal is named after Dr. José P. Rizal, the national hero of the PhilippinesBalagtás is named after Francisco Balagtas, a famous Filipino poetAyungin is Leopotherapon plumbeus,a Phlippine –endemic fish species.

Spratly Islands –are a disputed group of more than 750 reefs, islets, atolls, cays, and islands in the South China Sea. -No native islanders inhabit the islands which offer rich fishing grounds and may contain significant oil and natural gas reserves.

THE MAP

Taiwan (ROC)

China (PRC) Philippines Vietnam Malaysia

Taiping Island / Itu Aba

Zhongzhou Reef

Cuarteron Reef

Fiery Cross Reef

Gaven Reefs

Johnson South Reef

Mischief Reef Subi Reef

Flat Island

Half Moon Shoal

Lankiam Cay

Loaita Island

Nanshan Island

Northeast Cay Thitu Island

West York Island

Amboyna Cay

Namyit Island

Sin Cowe Island

Spratly Island

Sand Cay

Southwest Cay

Swallow Reef

Ardasier Reef

Dallas Reef

Erica Reef Investigator

Shoal

Louisa Reef

Mariveles Reef

Luconia Shoals

James Shoal

ISLANDS UNDER THE CONTROL OF PHILIPPINES

• The Philippines base their claims of sovereignty over the Spratlys on the issues of Res nullius and geography. The Philippines contend their claim was Res nullius as there was no effective sovereignty over the islands until the 1930s when France and then Japan acquired the islands.

• Philippines lie within its 200-mile Exclusive Economic Zone according to the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. This argument still requires that the islands were res nullius, though. The Philippines also argue, under maritime law that the People's Republic of China can not extend its baseline claims to the Spratlys because the PRC is not an archipelagic state.

Basis of Philippines

PAG-ASA ISLAND

The second largest  Spratly Island and the largest of all Philippine-occupied Spratly Islands.

Also called Thitu IslandHaving an area of 37.2 hectares.

It serves as a town proper to the Municipality of Kalayaan. Only this among all Philippine-occupied Spratly islands is

currently inhabited by civilian Filipinos.

STATION OF SOLDIERS IN PAG-ASA

or Likas Island comes from “Likas” is the Tagalog rootword of kalikasan which means nature.

having an area of 18.6 hectares, is the third largest island of the Spratly Island  chain in South China.

the second largest island among Philippine-occupied Spratly islands.

 claimed by China, Republic of China (Taiwan) and Vietnam.

West York Island

West York Island (Likas) belongs to the Municipality of Kalayaan, Palawan.

Kalayaan, Palawan is the only municipality in the Philippines to have a single barangay.

Barangays are political subdivisions that comprises Philippine municipalities and cities.

 Pagasa Island (Thitu) the only barangay in Kalayaan which has about 300 civilian population.

Kalayaan municipal officials proposed that this island be populated with civilian settlers within the coming year.

Likas' land area is only 50% of Pagasa's and only naval vessels are currently capable of reaching the island. An estimate of 300 million pesos (US$7.5M) will be needed to construct an airstrip, a docking site, some land reclamation and other structures necessary to support an isolated community.

covered with low vegetation and scrub. Outcrops are visible on the southern and eastern portion of the island during low tides.

is considered a sanctuary for giant sea turtles that lay their eggs on the island all year round.

There are no buildings on the island, except for the ruins of houses built by the Japanese soldiers during World War II, and a small Philippine observation post, where Filipino soldiers stationed are taking shelter.

Structures and Environment

Parola Island

Northesat Cayis the fifth largest Spratly island and the third largest among Philippine-occupied Spratly islands. administered by the Philippines as part of Kalayaan, Palawan.

LIGHTHOUSE IN PAROLA Parola is

the Tagalog (adapted from Spanish language) word for a lighthouse.

is also claimed by the People's Republic of China, Republic of China (Taiwan) and Vietnam

In 1968, Philippines troop occupied Northeast Cay (Parola Island, Song Tu Dong) and Southwest Cay (Pugad Island, Song Tu Tay).

In 1975, Southwest Cay was captured by South Vietnam and was taken over by later unified Vietnam. The Philippines continued to occupying the Northeast Cay until now.

History

Parola Island can be considered as the second top priority of the Philippines for protection, after Pagasa Island, since it is very near Vietnamese-occupied Pugad Island.

There are only one to two structures in this island that serve as shelters of the soldiers.

Environment

-  The corals around the island were mostly destroyed by rampant use of dynamite fishing and cyanide method employed by non-Filipino fishing boats in the past.

-It also has guano deposits.

Nanshan Island  Lawak means"vastness” is the eighth largest island of Spratly

Islands and the fourth largest among Philippine-occupied Spratly islands. 

 administered by the Philippines as part of Kalayaan, Palawan.

claimed by the People's Republic of China, Republic of China (Taiwan), and Vietnam.

LAWAK ISLAND

Environment

-  a bird sanctuary. Its surroundings are highly phosphatized that superphosphate materials can be mined out on a small-scale basis. 

PATAG ISLAND Patag island or Flat Island is the second

smallest island of Spratly Islands. It is the sixth largest among the Philippine-occupied Spratly islands.

Environment - is a low, flat and sandy. It takes the shape of an

elongated one for some years now and a shape like that of a crescent moon for few years ago and it formed the shape of a letter "S" in the past.

PANATAG ISLAND/ SCARBOROUGH SHOAL

this is also called as the Lankiam Cay which is the smallest island of Spratly islands.

It is the seventh largest among Philippine-occupied islands.

It has an area of 0.44 hectares (4,400 sq. m). It is located 8 miles (13 km) northeast of

Philippine-occupied Loaita Island. This island is administered by the Philippines

as part of Kalayaan, Palawan.

PANATAG ISLAND

or Loaita Island is the tenth largest Spratly island and the fifth largest Philippine-occupied Spratly island. 

It is located 22 miles (35 km) southeast of Philippine-occupied Thitu Island (Pagasa Island) and 22 miles (35 km) north-northeast of Taiwan-occupied Itu Aba Island. This island is administered by the Philippines as part of Kalayaan, Palawan.

 Kota is a Philippine word for a fort.

Kota Island

HALF MOON SHOAL

 is a shoal in Spratly Islands of South China Sea. China and the Philippines have competing claims over the shoal.

It is located 100 km from Palawan, in the Philippines.

A Chinese frigate, Type 053560, ran aground on the shoal on 11 July 2012.The base of the frigate is in Mischief Reef, located 76 nautical miles away.

A CHINESE FRIGATE 053 560

Several rocks on the eastern side rise one to two feet above high tide. Encloses a lagoon.

PANATA REEF

Lankiam Cay 

Panata means “oath”

 is the smallest island of Spratly islands. It is the seventh largest among Philippine-occupied islands. 

administered by the Philippines as part of Kalayaan, Palawan.

 claimed by the People's Republic of China, Republic of China (Taiwan), and Vietnam. 

ISLANDS UNDER THE CONTROL OF PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF CHINA

(TAIWAN)

BASIS FOR PRC'S AND ROC'S CLAIMS

China claims to have discovered the islands in the Han Dynasty in 2 BC.

Since the Yuan Dynasty in the 12th century, several islands that may be the Spratlys have been labeled as Chinese territory, followed by the Ming Dynast and the Qing Dynasty from the 13th to 19th Century.

• In 1755,archaeological surveys the remains of Chinese pottery and coins have been found in the islands and are cited as proof for the PRC claim.

ITU ABA ISLAND Also called as Taiping island and is the largest of the Spratly Islands in

the South China Sea, and the only one where fresh water is available.

is part of the Tizard Bank or Zheng He reef, one of seven reefs in the Spratly Islands near the centre of the South China Sea.

is elliptical in shape being 1.4 km in length and 0.4 km in width.

Administered by the Republic of China (Taiwan)

It is also claimed by the People's Republic of China, the Philippines and Vietnam.

ROCAF C-130H AT TAIPING ISLAND AIRPORT

Taiping Airport- is an airport on Taiping Island belonging to the Republic of China (Taiwan), and managed by the Republic of China Air Force. 

ZHONGZHOU REEF-is a small coral reef

within the Spratly Islands currently occupied by Taiwan, under the administration of Cijin District, Kaohsiung. 

-claimed by China, Vietnam and the Philippines.

-As many as 51 species of migratory birds inhabit the reef for short stays. The surrounding waters contain a rich marine ecosystem with plentiful stag horn coral.

The reef has no groundwater source. Though currently uninhabited by humans, the ROC coast guard sends regular patrols via M8 speedboats from nearby Taiping Island which circle the reef, in addition to landing inspections and ecological surveys.

ROC government has revealed plans to construct permanent marking facilities and a lighthouse to facilitate vessel navigation.

BAN THAN REEFLies 3 miles (5 km) east of Itu-Aba Island and 3

miles (5 km) west of Vietnamese occupied Sand Cay.

Small drying reef halfway between Taiwan-occupied Itu Aba and Vietnam-occupied Sand Cay.

Has a structure and is garrisoned by some soldiers.

Occupied since 1995Part of Tizard Banks

REPUBLIC OF CHINA

CUARTERON REEF

is a reef in Spratly Islands of South China Sea. It is controlled by China as part of Sansha, and claimed by the Philippines as part of Kalayaan, Palawan. It has a supply platform and a reef fortress.

FIERY CROSS REEF

also known as "Yongshu Reef“ is a group of reefs in Spratly Islands in South China Sea.

It is controlled by China as part of Sansha. As of 2011, designated the PRC main command

headquarters; equipped with satellite data transmission, surface and air search radars; armed with at least four high-powered naval guns and several gun emplacements.

claimed by the Philippines as part of Kalayaan, Palawan.

Fiery Cross Reef

is a group of two reefs in Spratly Islands of South China Sea.

Occupied since 1988. are controlled by China as part

of Sansha, and claimed by the Philippines and Vietnam.

 a supply platform and a reef fortress. The supply platform has anti-aircraft guns, naval guns, search radars and radio communications equipment.

Gaven reef

HUGHES REEF

Lies 9 miles (14 km) to the east of Sin Cowe Island. Naturally above water at least at low tide. Occupied since 1988. Part of Union Banks.

JOHNSON SOUTH REEF

or Chigua Reef or Gạc Ma Reef is a reef in the Spratly Islands in

the South China Sea controlled by the People's Republic of China (PRC).

Naturally above water only at low tide, but many rocks above water at high tide.

 -Panganiban-is a large reef in the Spratly

Islands in South China Sea. -It has a lagoon.controlled by the People's

Republic of China, and claimed by the Republic of China (Taiwan), Philippines and Vietnam.

MISCHIEF REEF

-or Zhubi Reef 

-is a reef in the Spratly Islands of the South China Sea located 16 miles (26 km) southwest of Philippine-occupied Thitu Island. 

-The People's Republic of China has constructed 3-story buildings, wharfs, and a helipad in the area. 

-is also claimed by the Republic of China (Taiwan), Philippines, and Vietnam.

Subi reef

FIRST THOMAS REEF

A few rocks are permanently above sea level. Much of the reef is above water at low tide. Encloses a lagoon.

WHITSON REEF

Some rocks naturally above water at high tide. Part of Union Banks.

AYUNGIN REEF

is 105.77 nautical miles from Palawan.

It is about 21 nautical miles from Mischief Reef, which was occupied by China in 1995.

SOCIALIST REPUBLIC OF VIETNAM

Vietnam's view is that the Chinese records do not constitute the declaration and exercise of sovereignty and that China did not declare sovereignty over the Spratlys until after World War II.

On the other hand, Vietnam claims the Spratlys based on international law on declaring and exercising sovereignty.

In Đại Nam nhất thống toàn, an atlas of Vietnam completed in 1838, Trường Sa was shown as Vietnamese territory.

Basis of Vietnam’s Claim

or An Bang Island ( Lagos)Pulau Amboyna Kecil) is an island of Spratly Islands in South China Sea. it is the thirteenth largest Spratly island and the sixth largest among Vietnamese-occupied Spratly islands.

Amboyna Cay

With an area of 5.3 hectares, it is the twelfth largest Spratly island and the fifth largest among the Vietnamese-administered Spratly islands.

is also claimed by the People's Republic of China, the Philippines and the Republic of China (Taiwan).

Namyit Island

or Son Ca Island is a cay in Spratly Islands of South China Sea. With an area

of 7 hectares, it is the ninth largest island and the fourth largest Vietnamese-occupied island in the Spratly Islands.

has no source of natural fresh water, but the islet's coral sand is covered with a thin layer of fertile hummus mixing with guano. The vegetation mainly composes of Barringtonia asiatica, Ipomoea pes-caprae and Casuarinaceae's species as well as some kinds of grass.In recent years, islanders have cultivated fruit trees such as pomelo, jackfruit, dragonfruit, sugar-apple and guava.

Sand Cay

SIN COWE ISLAND is an island in theSpratly Islands in the South China Sea. With an area of 8 hectares, it is the seventh largest Spratly island and the third largest among Vietnamese-occupied Spratly islands.

is occupied by Vietnam since 1974, first by the Republic of Vietnam's ARVN Navy, followed by the Navy of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam after 1975.

also claimed by the People's Republic of China, the Republic of China (Taiwan) and the Philippines. It is part of Union Banks.[1]

Vietnamese sovereignty marker on Sin Cowe Island (景宏岛 , Dao Sinh Ton), Spratly Islands

is an islet in the northern edge of Spratly Islands in South China Sea. It is part of North Danger Reef, and just 1.75 miles from Northeast Cay.

an area of 12 hectares, it is the sixth largest Spratly island and the second largest among the Vietnamese-occupied Spratly islands.

claimed by the People's Republic of China, Republic of China (Taiwan) and the Philippines.

Southwest Cay

UNDER THE CONTROL OF MALAYSIA

Malaysia's claims are based upon the continental shelf principle, and have clearly defined coordinates. This argument still requires that the islands were res nullius.

Res nullius (lit: nobody's property) is a Latin term derived from Roman law whereby res (an object in the legal sense, anything that can be owned, even a slave, but not a subject in law such as a citizen) is not yet the object of rights of any specific subject.

Basis of Malaysia’s

Claim

Layang-Layang Reef

Controlled by Malaysia Also called as swallow

reef Is the only islands in the

Spratlys with regular flights.

it is rated as a "Big fish and Wall Diving Mecca of Southeast Asia", to which divers from all over the globe are attracted to.

Gabriela Silang

is small, almost circular, with an outside radius about 1 km.

 is located on 24km east-northeast of Mariveles Reef.

Erica reef

Rajah Matanda in the Philippines, lies 26km north of Swallow Reef. it has a completely enclosed shallow lagoon

15m deep, stretching east to west. It looks larger than neighboring triangular shaped Ardasier Reef which is just 9km east.

As with all of the Spratly Islands, the ownership of the atoll is disputed, but it is controlled by Malaysia and claimed by the People's Republic of China, Republic of China (Taiwan)and Vietnam.

Dallas Reef

TIZARD BANK

- is an atoll consisting of some

coral islands/cays and coral

reefs of Spratly Islands.

ARDASIER REEF

known as Guangxingzai Jiao in China

Terumbu Ubi in Malaysia Antonio Luna in

the Philippines  is triangular shaped and lies

26km north-northeast of Swallow Reef. 

59km slightly east of north from Layang Layang Island, dries at high tide enclosing two large lagoons in a figure of eight formation with a sand cay between them.

Mariveles reef

REASONS FOR DISPUTE

1.Hydrocarbons

- In 1968, oil was discovered in the region. The Geology and Mineral Resources Ministry of the People's Republic of China (PRC) has estimated that the Spratly area holds oil and natural gas reserves of 17.7 billion tons (1.60 × 1010 kg), as compared to the 13 billion tons (1.17 × 1010 kg) held by Kuwait, placing it as the fourth largest reserve bed in the world.

- On 11 March 1976, the first major Philippine oil discovery occurred off the coast of Palawan, near the Spratly Islands territory. As of 2010, these oil fields accounted for fifteen percent of all petroleum consumed in the Philippines.

2. Commercial fishing

- An additional motive is the region's role as one of the world's most productive areas for commercial fishing.

There have already been numerous clashes between the PRC, the Philippines and other nations over "foreign" fishing vessels in its Exclusive Economic Zone(EEZ) and the media regularly report the arrest of Chinese fishermen.

3. Commercial shipping

- The region is also one of the busiest shipping lanes in the world. During the 1980s, at least two hundred and seventy ships passed through the Spratly Islands region each day, and currently more than half of the world's supertanker traffic, by tonnage, passes through the region's waters every year.

REFERENCEShttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/

Spratly_Islands_dispute

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kalayaan,_Palawan

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philippines_and_the_Spratly_Islands

https://www.facebook.com/spratlyislandsph