SUMMARY
MANILA, Philippines – In the past week, Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo and National Security Adviser Eduardo Año made explicit mention of the role of the press in the Philippine government’s transparency initiative to assert the country’s sovereign rights and sovereignty claims in the West Philippine Sea.
“A free press, reporting on events as they are, is the hallmark of a true democracy. And we are grateful for our partnership with you. Your work has helped to put the spotlight on what is really happening in the West Philippine Sea,” said Manalo in his keynote speech on June 26, at the East-West Center’s 2024 International Media Conference in Manila.
Days later, during a Philippine Coast Guard (PCG)-hosted thanksgiving dinner aboard the BRP Melchora Aquino, Año to…