Senator Risa Hontiveros on Wednesday demanded that the Chinese government should shoulder the costs of the Philippines’ COVID-19 response, in reparation for the annual losses the country has incurred due to China’s damage of reef ecosystems in the West Philippine Sea. “China should foot the Philippines’ COVID-19 bill. The destruction to our reefs in Scarborough Shoal and Spratly Islands is equivalent to at least P33.1 billion in losses annually, on top of other economic and health costs,” said Hontiveros.

Ramos-Araneta, M. (2020, April 23). ‘China should pay PH for WPS damages’. Manila Standard, p. A3.