RAW PHILIPPINES US DEFENCE VIDI33QL7DR
Metadata
- RAW PHILIPPINES US DEFENCE VIDI33QL7DR
- August 3, 2023
- Language English
- Transcript/Script TITLE: RAW PHILIPPINES US DEFENCE VIDI33QL7DR HEADLINE: Philippines defense secretary Teodoro visits airbase used by US COMMENT: - Gilbert Teodoro, Secretary of National Defense of the Philippines KEYWORDS: Gilbert Teodoro, PHL, , Cagayan Province DESCRIPTION: The Philippines' Secretary of National Defense Gilbert Teodoro visits the Lal-lo airport in the north of the country, which is being used as a base by both Filipino and US military aircraft carrying aid as part of a joint disaster response to Typhoon Doksuri. Lal-lo is one of the sites open for use by US troops as part of the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement — a deal that allows US forces to rotate through and store defence equipment and supplies at selected areas in the Philippines. Teodoro defends the agreement, saying that the airport's "proximity to Taiwan is a geographical accident" and if "other people are paranoid about it, it's their problem." IMAGES AND SOUNDBITES =====SCRIPT TEXT DATA===== SHOTLIST FOR AFP SUBSCRIBERS ONLY (NO RESALE) CAGAYAN PROVINCE, PHILIPPINES AUGUST 3, 2023 SOURCE: FOREIGN POOL IMAGES (00:44) 1. Tracking shot of flying V-22 Osprey 2. Wide shot of CH53 Sea Stallion helicopter at the runway 3. Mid shot of V-22 Osprey 4. Wide shot of V-22 Osprey 5. Wide shot of CH53 Sea Stallion helicopter flying 6. Tracking shot Secretary of National Defense of the Philippines Gilbert Teodoro walking 7. Wide shot of Lal-lo airport 8. Wide shot of US soldier standing 9. Pan right of the Secretary of National Defense of the Philippines Gilbert Teodoro and Philippine troops having a discussion at the airport 10. SOUNDBITE 1 - Gilbert Teodoro, Secretary of National Defense of the Philippines (male, English, 14 sec): "You know what if its proximity to Taiwan is a geographical accident and other people are paranoid about it, it's their problem. For me, my concern is Philippine national interest and national security." 11. SOUNDBITE 2 - Gilbert Teodoro, Secretary of National Defense of the Philippines (male, English, 36 sec): "So the paranoia of other people, maybe rightly so, is taken into consideration but national security is paramount in this country. And we have reassured other countries in the world that the Philippines is not allowed by the constitution to wage war or any offensive action as an instrument of national policy. Now if they do not take our word for it, then, how can we trust each other?" 12. SOUNDBITE 3 - Gilbert Teodoro, Secretary of National Defense of the Philippines (male, English, 34 sec): "We do not question the bases being built by other countries except when they are being built on contested territory. This is Philippine territory and it is our business what we do here just as long as it is for the Philippine interest, and here the United States and us converge in our intended use for this and it is not any other country's business to question what we do here." /// ----------------------------------------------------------- AFP TEXT STORY: US says concerned over Chinese reclamation in Manila Bay Manila, Aug 2, 2023 (AFP) - US diplomats have raised security and environmental concerns with the Philippines over the involvement of a Chinese company in a land reclamation project in Manila Bay, a US embassy spokesman said Wednesday. A subsidiary of China Communications Construction Co, which was blacklisted by Washington in 2020, has been contracted to reclaim 318 hectares (786 acres) in waters fronting the US embassy and Philippine Navy headquarters, the Philippine Reclamation Authority told AFP. US embassy spokesman Kanishka Gangopadhyay said the American diplomatic mission had expressed several concerns with the Philippines, including the project's "potential negative long-term and irreversible impacts to the environment". "We are also concerned that the projects have ties to the China Communications Construction Co., which has been added to the U.S. Department of Commerce's Entity List for its role in helping the Chinese military construct and militarize artificial islands in the South China Sea," he said in a statement. China claims almost the entire South China Sea and has reinforced its stance by ripping up thousands of hectares of reef to create new land for artificial islands in the Spratly archipelago. Environmental groups have long warned that land reclamation in Manila Bay will worsen flooding in the sprawling metropolis of 13 million people. The 34.4 billion-peso ($624-million), four-year project is a joint venture between the Manila City government and Waterfront Manila Premier Development, said Joseph Literal, assistant general manager at the reclamation authority. The Chinese subsidiary was contracted by the joint venture to carry out the work, he said. The government permit requires the contractor to provide a 200-metre (219-yard) access channel for the Philippine Navy, he added. Waterfront company representatives could not be reached, while the Chinese embassy in Manila did not comment when asked. Philippine Environment Secretary Antonia Yulo-Loyzaga on Wednesday said other parties had also raised "concerns" about the project and the ministry "will be conducting a cumulative impact assessment of the reclamation projects" on the 1,700 square-kilometre (656-square-mile) bay. In 2020, the government of then-Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte said it would not follow the US lead in blacklisting Chinese companies involved in island-building in disputed waters. cgm/amj/ssy
- NewsML Media Topics Arts, Culture, Entertainment and Media
- Rights See script for restrictions and source information.
- Network VOA
- Expiration Date September 2, 2023 11:00 EDT
- Embargo Date August 3, 2023 12:13 EDT
- Brand / Language Service Voice of America