The Philippines called on other Southeast Asian countries to "stand up" as Beijing is poised to take "de facto control" of the South China Sea. Parts of South China Sea or the West Philippine Sea is being claimed by the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia and Brunei, but Beijing claims nearly all of it and it's increasingly aggressive moves to assert those territorial ambitions have caused concern in the region and beyond. Del Rosario told his Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) colleagues that China "was clearly and quickly advancing with its massive reclamation" works.

Del Rosario: China bent on taking 'de facto control of S. China Sea'. (2015 April 27). Panay News, p. 11.