INSTEAD of demanding the President’s resignation, former Speaker of House Pantaleon Alvarez should offer solutions to escalating tension in the West Philippine Sea (WPS).

In a press briefing, House Deputy Majority Leader and Iloilo Rep. Janette Garin urged Alvarez to focus on contributing to solutions to the said issue rather than calling for the resignation of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” R. Marcos Jr.

“Maybe it would be a good contribution by the former Speaker to put forward solutions. Ano ba ang pwedeng solusyon dito sa dispute na ito? Ano ba ang dapat gawin instead of calling for a resignation? Because that [call for] resignation will not really solve the problem,” Garin said.

Just recently, Alvarez, representing the first district of Davao del Norte, has suggested that President Marcos should resign supposedly to ease tensions in the WPS.

This proposition was viewed by House leaders as a “thinly veiled attempt to expedite Vice President Sara Duterte’s ascent to the presidency, capitalizing on their shared pro-China stance.”

Garin questioned the rationale behind Alvarez’s call for resignation, noting the existing processes such as the power of Filipinos to remove officials through elections or impeachment.

She emphasized that calling for resignation might not be the best solution, particularly without identifying specific shortcomings.

“‘Yung isang tao kapag binoto ng tao, ang makakatanggal sa kanya ay ang sambayang Pilipino rin. It’s not fair for one person to call on the President to resign specifically if you cannot pinpoint the specific lapses,” Garin said.

Garin said that resolving complex issues such as the WPS cannot be achieved overnight by a single president.

However, she expressed optimism about the progress made and underscored the significance of the Marcos administration’s unwavering commitment to protecting the nation’s territory.

“What is important is that we are seeing concrete steps. The leadership of our country will not yield even an inch of our territory. ‘Yung passion, determination and commitment na ‘yan, that is what is important,” Garin said.

She also emphasized the long-standing nature of the WPS issue, citing its significance not only for the Philippines and China but also for several other countries.

Garin said the conflict also involves Vietnam, Thailand, Taiwan, and Malaysia, all staking claims in the region.