Tycoon Manuel Pangilinan wants the government to lift the moratorium on drilling and exploration in the disputed West Philippine Sea amid warming relations between Manila and Beijing. The Association of Southeast Asian Nations and China hailed the adoption of a negotiating framework for the code of conduct. Pangilinan said that once the moratorium is lifted, they would be talking to the Chinese authorities to prepare for actual exploration or before the company sends its boats to the area.

Gonzales, I. (2017, August 22). MVP urges gov't to lift ban on West Phl Sea exploration. Philippine Star, pp. B1, B3.