The recent July 17 groundbreaking ceremony for Metro Manila’s two new bridge projects of the Binondo-Intramuros Bridge in Manila and the Estrella-Pantaleon Bridge in Makati — P5.27 billion gifts by China to the Philippines — was led by President Rodrigo R. Duterte, China Ambassador Zhao Jianhua, Department of Public Works & Highways Secretary Mark Villar, Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea, Presidential Assistant Bong Go and other officials. Duterte then went off-script to speak of the Spratlys territorial dispute: “Personally I’ve been to China. I have talked to the leadership of the government and have had the honor of meeting President Xi and talked a lot about friendship and cooperation. In all of these discussions, China never asked for even one square (meter) of real estate in this country.”

Flores, W. L. (2018, July 30). After two bridges gifted by China, how to bridge our territorial disputes?. The Philippine Star, p. D4.