The Chinese government was asked to start paying China’s “debt” to the Philippines, pegged at over P800 billion, for “damaging the wealth and marine life stolen in the West Philippine Sea.” Laying the blame squarely on “Beijing’s adventurism in the disputed waters,” Senator Risa Hontiveros pressed the Chinese government to “pay reparations for the value of the wealth and marine life stolen in the West Philippine Sea due to Beijing’s adventurism in the disputed waters.” In a statement Thursday, the senator stressed it is “time to pay up” even as she recalled that the Chinese Embassy in Manila earlier thumbed down an initial demand for over P200-billion reparations, that has now ballooned to over P800 billion.

Fernandez, B. (2021, February 19). China must pay ₱.8-T in WPS damage–Risa. Business Mirror, p. A12.