Spratly Islands, Philippines
The Spratly Islands or Scarborough Shoal are controversial islands of more than 100 reefs, islets and islands in the South China Sea between the Philippines and Vietnam, the group is claimed variously by Vietnam, China, Taiwan, Malaysia, and the Philippines. The island occupies a total less than five square kilometers and spread over more than 400,000 square kilometers of sea. The South China Sea region is the world’s second busiest international sea lane. More than half of the world’s supertanker traffic passes through the region’s waters. In addition, the South China Sea region contains oil and gas resources strategically located near large energy-consuming countries.
South China Sea encompasses a portion of the Pacific Ocean stretching roughly from Singapore and the Strait of Malacca in the southwest, to the Strait of Taiwan (between Taiwan and China) in the northeast. The area includes more than 200 small islands, rocks, and reefs, with the majority located in the Paracel and Spratly Island chains. The Spratlys connects the Pacific Ocean and the Indian Ocean. All its islands are coral, low and small, about 5 to 6 meters above water, spread over 160,000 to 180,000 square kilometers of sea zone (or 12 times that of the Paracels).
The Spratlys are part of the great sweep of archipelago Southeast Asia of more than 30,000 islands and reefs and which so complicates geography, governance and economics in the region. As these are so small and remote, there would not be much interest in the area – however, Spratlys are more significant as territorial markers than as places of habitation. There are no native islanders but there are rich fishing grounds and initial surveys indicate the islands may contain significant oil and gas.
As a result, a number of different nations have sought to claim some or all of the islands. Taiwan, Vietnam and China each claim the islands in their entirety.
Malaysia and the Philippines claim some but not all of the islands, as also does Brunei. In 1984, Brunei established an exclusive fishing zone that encompasses Louisa Reef in the southern Spratly Islands but has not publicly claimed the reef; claimants in November 2002 signed the “Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea,” which has eased tensions but falls short of a legally binding “code of conduct”. In March 2005, the national oil companies of China, the Philippines, and Vietnam signed a joint accord to conduct marine seismic activities in the Spratly Islands. To support their claims, states have placed troops on some of the islands that they have claimed.
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Philippines should really owner some island of Spratly island.
the Philippines should rightfully claim those islands covered by the property line and leave those which are not. XD
yeah hed right we should claim many isalands including the whole spratlus islands for our natipn is much nearer than the other countries thet claims the islands
stupidness of the institution of the philippines was the greatest cause of this discussion !
This controversy is not new to me. As you can see and read, spratly island is located near to those country that are claiming it. Basically no one knows yet if who owns that island. But hey, nobody owns an island here in this cruel world.
hell yeah!!! hahaha lol XD Lhally adame lol …
anu b tlga ang sagot???kung bakit gusto ng china ang spratly islan?
@airish
One of the reasons they want to invade Spratly because of the island’s rich in oil & natural gas resources…
i think we should own the island.
WE,FILIPINOS, ARE THE RIGHTFUL OWNERS OF SPRATLYS!!!
ARRRG!!! COME ON,,,,,, TUG OF WAR???
We just hope this issue will be resolved by our government…
THE FILIPINOS ARE THE TRUE OWNERS OF SPRATLYS!!
This things happen due to the discovery in Spratly island which they said that there is a billion tons of oil reserve oil..
for me it is own by philippines
oh i rally like it … because there they proof to other countries that philippines is for world class we should take the spratly island because it is part of us and maybe they are envy of what we have and besides we should not be just followers of them we should fight for our right………………….. so philippines go go go go go go go fight fight fight fight and we win, we win ,we win……………
:) 
we are the owner of that island !! considering the treaty of paris , when they extended our national territory by 200 nautical miles , spratly islands belongs to us .
our government must stand in their obligation to defend our national territory , they must show to us , and prove to the alliens that they are capable in defending our territory ..
cold war !!
yaaa….thats wrte we da true owner
\
ALAM NYO NAGUMPISA LAHAT YAN NUNG IBINIGAY NG PILIPINAS ANG SABAH SA INDONESIA ALAM NYO KASE THE FACT IS NAGPAPABULI TAYO DAME KSE KURAKOT
why the china like to get the spratly island??_____________________but the spratly island is included in the philippines
dapat sa atin ang spratley dahil maraming pinay ang nakatira doon kung ibibbigay natin ang spratley sa indonesia mawawalan na ng karapatan ang pinoy na manatili doon at magtayo nga bahay sapagkat ang indonesia ay over populated diya sa spratley patitirahin ng indonesia ang mga taong walang trabaho….
Gawa kasi yan Ni Marcos ng binigay niya ang Sabah sa MALAYSIA hindi sa INDONESIA……….kita naman sa MAPA na napakalapit ng Spratly sa Palawan!
ang CHINA alam nila na sa FILIPINAs talaga yung Spratly ! Alam nila yan sa sarili nila pero gusto nila makuha kasi may deposit ng mga langis!!
weeee! sa FILIPINAS ang SPRATLY! ISLAND!!
pag-aagawan ba naman ang Isla na yan kung walang yaman na makukuha!!
kung mapupunta yan sa Pinas may pag-asang umunlad uli ang Pinas!
75% of spratley is on the philipines and 15% of spratley is out side of the philinpines so the right full owner of spartley is philipines
@PinoyZZZZ
At this point of time, it is not good to put a blame on each other shoes… Instead, we Filipinos should help our government by showing all out support to them and to fight our rights in a peaceful way.
the philippines are really stupid now. dont they know that if they mess with china they will all get killed? compared to china, philippines is just a small helpless ant and china is the big boy that steps on the ant. if you have lived in the philippines, you will see that the filipinos are lazy and depend on other people. they do not have the ability to manage the spratly islands. filipinos do not know how to save money, thats why philippines is so poor. you shouldnt give those islands to whomever claims it and is closer to it, but to the country that shows that it can handle these islands and has solid claims. china has books about the spratly islands, they even control it. the only claim the philippines has is just that the spratly islands fall into their “boundary”. no wonder philippines can never develop. they have a abnormal looking president thats really stupid and is a homosexual.
The spratlys island belong to the philippines because if the spratly’s lies on the southchina sea but why is the philipines is in the southchina sea they didn’t clame it. After all if we will modified the distances the nearest is philippines at the Palawan.
.. we should not let spratlys island be gone to us .. we should fight for our rights .. we are the rightful owners of that spratlys island ..
this issue needs to be settled the soonest possible time.
yes .. the Spratly is own by philippines .it part of the archipelago and it was written in the national territory that all territories over which the philippine has sovereignty and jurisdiction is being part of the philippines………….go philippines fight for what is right..
waaah wak na china lapet spratlys…wak na china akaw ng islan ndi inyo…ang layo ng distancia china sa spratly…tapos punta sila dito para mang-agaw ng isla…china icip kau namn ng unti minsan…ndi uso ngayon pananakop dahil tigok na magellan…hehehe…
wooi CHINA wag kayo magrely na super-weapon kayo…yabang ah porke meron na kayo gawa na aircraft carrier…lam ko marami kayo submarines at rami rin nuclear war heads…ano kayo gagamitin niyo mga pandigma ninyo para maghari-harian sa spratlys…WAG KAYO GANUN CHINESE repa-pips…PEACE TAYO…WINK
Ian Tejada – your comments are quite frankly pathetic and I refuse to take seriously anyone who does not have the simple understanding of the function of a keyboard shift key! Maybe you are 3 years old.
However, to get back to the point of this dispute, in 1982 the UN members (which INCLUDES China) signed a treaty called the ‘Convenion on the Law of the Sea’ which clearly states the boundaries of sovereignty. Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Indonesia have (more or less) agreed with these international boundaries.
Now ‘suddenly’ there is talk of oil and gas deposits and guess what :- China have completely ignored the UN resolution and want EVERYTHING!
This is why we now have a dispute.
Ian Tejada – educate yourself about international maritime law here…. http://www.un.org/Depts/los/convention_agreements/convention_overview_convention.htm
Ask your mother to explain the big words to you though!
not all filipinos are stupid no ano ba naman yan? for china don’t be greedy you already have the biggest part of the map and you still want that small part just give it to the philippines. it’s enough that you own some businesses in the philippines and let filipinos work for you and you didn’t pay good and then you sell things that don’t last long like for example a cellphone that when you use it for 1 day the battery was dead.
yeah., you’re right.,, Filipinos are te rightful owners of Spratly islands., it is certainly and undoubtedly that Philippines own Spratly islands., .,., you chinese people are monsters., you really dares to declare war with philippines like what you did to vietnam 23 years ago., hahaha., that president of yours must be the one to be jailed by the UN., ., IT IS CLEARLY PROVEN that THAT SPRATLY ISLANDS IS WITHIN THE PHILIPPINE AREA OF RESPONSIBILITY., GOT IT???? all of you., ., not exactly all., but the one who wanted to take possession to our teritorial., you must be the one who dies and be warred with the other united nation’s countrial members/.
WE must do what is right! If some other countries are claiming the spratly island then why we dont fight for it !after all spratly island is much closer to us!
@handgrenade., don’t say that we filipinos are not lazy and stupid people., you don’t have the right to say that., we also know that some depends to other’s and we are also angry of seeing that kind of situation., it is not our fault why it happened to us., it is since the spaniards inavaded the philippine., they didn’t give any rights to people who are poor and didn’t let the women to go to school too., even the haciendas that is claimed by the priests abused the kindness that filipinos had showed., okay., they are stupid because they doesn’t know how to fight for their right and ruled upon them., though it has been freed throught the help of america., most people that are corrupt in the philippines are from the finest family and its ancestors have the blood of spaniards., they overpowered and didn’t returned the lands that are the dwelling of the poor mamamayans., it’s only 65 years from now since we are completely freed., and that years is not enough to be moved on and we are still new to this., so now we are improving ourselves and prepare for whatever happens., we are now taking back the rights that should be given to us., what is ours must be ours and not to be taken by other countries.,
DIGMAAN KUNG DIGMAAN! MATIRA MATIBAY! WAG PATATALO SA MGA IYAN! UBUSIN ANG KALABAN!
the SPRATLY ISLAND is our property….
those country that trying to get this ISLAND are not THINKING…
wlang teacher ….jan pala. ako pwde mag teach jan…
everybody rights that PHILIPPINES is the only one who owns the ISLAnd
Tayong mga pinoy ang magpapatunay na sa atin ang SPRATLY. Ito ang meaning ng SPRATLY. SA PHIL. REGIME ANG TALAGANG LUPAING YAN. Ito pa 1. Mayroon tayong 7107 Island, kung iikutin mo yan LOIL. Ibig sabihin LAND-(of) OIL
Dapat ibigay to sa mas nangangailangan na bansa. Di naman natin pwede ibigay agad agad sa mayayamang bansa ang spratlys island. Dapat itong binibigay sa mahihirap na bansa para umunlad. Dapat nga di ito binibigay sa China o Japan kasi mayayaman na sila. Dapat bigyan naman nila ng chance umunlad yung mga mahihirap na bansa.
each country has 12 miles external waters and an extra 181 miles of exclusive economic zone…in other words the island belongs to the Philippines. However, if Philippines would try to claim Spratley there’s a possibility that it would result to aggressive war which is denounced by Article II Section II in our Philippine Constitution…Not to mention that we cant afford to go to war…
yes….the true owner of spratly island are the filipinos
START KILLING CHINESE NOW!!!
God help the philippines
the spratly islands belongs to the philippines and the chinese know that…they also know the philippines is a pretty small country compared to theirs…the pilipinos want the spratly islands coz they think it can help in the development of the country but the truth is their are lots and lots of resources that are quite neat here in the philippines,our country just doesn’t have enough facilities for that…if the pinoy geologists can find a way to harness nuclear fussion to generate electricity the electrical bill in the philippines will surely decrease… the philippines can manage without the spratly islands but it is still our right to fight in a peaceful and civilized way for what truely belongs to our country…
hey! I think we deserve in getting the spratly island cuz we are the country who is low in oil
ang SPRATLY ISLAND ay s PINAS kya dpat lng n ipaglaban ntin mag PINOY.MTUTO NGA KAU BUMASA NG MAPA PRA MLMAN NYO N NDI NYO ANG SPRATLY,AMIN UN,S PINAS UN.
philippines has the right to have the spratly island
dapat nga sa pinas ang spratly island eh ang laki na kaya ng china tapos pati maliit na island kukunin pa nila damuts…..
Ahm..hintayin na lang siguro natin kung ano ang resulta ng mga nag iimbestiga tungkol dito,kung hindi man ang Pilipinas ang mag mamay-ari ng isla e tanggapin na lang natin mga filipino ng bukas sa kalooban at kung tayo man ang mag mamay-ari, sana ay alagaan natin ito,huwag nating hayaan na masira ito gayundin ang ibang likas na yaman ng ating bansa.
surely, we must claim some if not the hole Spratly islands for it will greatly help us economically…that is …if the men in the government would do their job ell. for the common good…
ipaubaya nyo na lang sa china ang spratlys! tapos patayin na lahat ng mga intsik na mga salot n parang mga linta n sinisipsip ang kayamanan ng pinas para sa iilang intsik lang!! PATAYIN ANG MGA INTSIK SA PILIPINAS!!! MABUHAY!!!
JOKE LANG PO!! SORRY!! HEHEHE! i’m just carried away! but sad to say, all of you people really didnt realize that the issue on spratly is not just about oil deposits and there’s no evidence on that yet.. they were still on exploration status.. now! the other thing that interests china most is more likely that they want to control the area. because, that area is like a nautical highway for trading. like those cargo ships carrying goods.. they want to control it because thats a lot of money too… look at panama canal.. well, thats it, if you want to know more! i-google nyo gago!
thats right the philippines should have the spratly islands to make it more beautiful than ever
don’t be sad if i vote Philippines because if the filipino people will survey the spratly islands most of the resources their is the honor of filipino people……
I read some informations about Philippine area of responsibility and I saw that we (filipinos) own the Spratly Island (Kalayaan) many years ago. So, what’s happening? I thought we already owned the Spratlys. China have the most large part of the Earth and then they want to get that “pa”. We must modify the distances the nearest is Philippines at the Palawan. Common sense!!! arghh!! GO GO PHILIPPINES!!
ahaha laugh out loud to mga peeps…,
Ang SPRATLY ISLAND atin yan! Ingget lng kase yang mga taong Chinese na yan ee, pgkatapos tau pnahirapan sa Drug Trafficing kukunin prin nila yang Spratly Islands? Belaaaaaaat! Ang galing nyo rin no? Shaatap! Sarap dn sampalin netong mga engot na sumasagabal sa ating bansa no? Eto rin NO MINING TO PALAWAN problema rin. Anu bnmn tong PILIPINAS wala ring magawa! Tung-unung presidenteng ito ooh. Walang matino!
SPRATLY ISLAND! AMIN YN! TOPIC NMN TO NGEUN SA CIVICS EEH.
bakit ba mayroon pa ring mga negatibong opinyon tungkol sa Pilipinas. Pwede mo namang ipaglaban ang bansa pero wag mo namang insultuhin ang ibang ring bansa.
translation:why do other people give negative comments to the Philippines. You could defend a country but stop insulting other countries too.
Philipines may be the poor country but the truly owner of it. COME ON GUYS it’s not the China the one who owns the Spratly island they just want it because it has many resources. THINK AGAIN CHINA we may be poor but we now our own limits and doesn’t mean were poor we cannot handle a ISLAND. CHINA !! what do you need?? more resources ?? well according to the Map, Philipines is the nearest not to mention. Am 12 YEARS OLD but I know already my own limits and my properties. And By the way Spratly is rich in oil, and if we prove that Philipine owns that island, 50% in the Philipines that are poor will become same as the average. Remember I am Proud to be a Filipino and am not asking for a war am just saying a FAIR conversation.
IN ORDER TO PREVENT A WAR OF THE DIFFERENT COUNTRIES THAT INVOLVE, WE SHOULD HAVE A PEACE TALK TO EXPRESS EACH SIDE OF THEM. TO MAKE IT CLEAR WHICH COUNTRY SHOULD OWN THESE PRECIOUS ISLANDS.
-PHILIPPINES
spratly island is 4 phil. so we have to protect it. sana wag hayaan ang ng gov. na makuha ito ng mga ibang bansa
The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) shows line as 200 Nautical Mile Economic Zone for the Philippines, Vietnam, Brunei, Malaysia, China and Indonesia. The line includes most part of the Kalayaan Island Group (Spratly) of the Philippines. UNCLOS did not show any territorial rights for China in the West Philippine Sea of the South China Sea which is Within the Philippine water and closer to the Kalayaan Island Group of the Philippines. The Philippines recorded already 6 invasion by china to the West Philippine Sea.
Philippines claim so many islands for what.. Government no brain , people also no brain.. Give you the world also no use because all the people choose the wrong leader… Thats why even having natural minerals and resources there are no signs of improvement or development.. Filipinos WAKE UP !! Rich resources but stupid people and leaders.
Chinese can create wealth anywhere where there is land..
Not kill them but learn from them.. I say before u people are so stupid rite.. cannot win then want to kill..
use ur pig brain and think why u are still so poor after centuries.. and why chinese are creating wealth all over the world ?
I believe that WE FILIPINO’s have the right to have the spratly islands!
The Spratly’s is inside the Philippine territory, why the hell the other countries what to get the islands?!
It is true that the Philippines is a poor country BUT we are strong people! We cannot let the other countries bullies us because we are just poor, we must defend our rights!
@handgrenade—how dare you to say something like that!not all Filipinos are like that… It’s true that some of us are lazies and always depend on the government BUT some of us too try to make our country successful!
And so what if the China is a very rich country and the Philippines is not, does that mean that we don’t have the right to fight for our right?! Does that mean that we just give up the authority to have the Spratly Islands to other countries?! I don’t think so! And how dare you to criticize the President of our country?! There is no PERFECT president in this world, not even Pres. Obama. Your so full of yourself! Do you think you can handle to run a country?! I don’t think so!
You need to think first before you quack like a duck!
(Hmph) Eto lang masasabi ko sayo kung sino ka man, Maling tao ang kinalaban mo! MGA PILIPINO ATA TONG MGA TOH!bwahahahaha!^^
i am a filipino, but i believe that some part of spratly islands belongs to us, those islands within our 200 nautical miles of territorial map, they must observe internatinal law. china is SWAPANG!!!!
lahat tayo mga pinoy!! lam naten yan.. pero icipin nyo malaking bansa ang china, what if kung bigla tayong atakihen ng mga yan.. WALA TAYONG LABAN ibigay nlng natin sakanila yan………………… LOL. xp
Hi David,
The UN will not allow that to happen. Philippines has more rights to own Spratly based on its terrestrial boundaries.
China mainland is not even close to the spartly islands..Anyways, people should not judge the filipino people because like any race they are rich, poor, good and bad people in every country. All I know is that the Philippines is one of the most beautiful places in the world and filipinos are the most hard working..I think people who say bad things about the Philippines or the filipino people have never been in the Philippines. Most people dont know that the millions of people fought side by side with the Americans to fight Japanese. Today the world would be colonies by Germans and Japanese without those forgotten sacrices by the filipinos. Filipinos are rich in history and history.. we are the most happiest and freindiest people in the world and that is something to be proud of!!!!
no one can claim the spotly island because it is under investigation, let give the decision to the higher authority.
We filipinos as right to claim the spratys because the United Nation of convention law of sea that the spratys is one of are islands
@ Tao lang..
HAHAHAHA