MANILA, Philippines (Updated 5:36 p.m.) – Manila local government unit (LGU) “closure orders” posted up to four establishments at Divisoria Mall after selling products that allegedly violated Philippine sovereignty on Thursday.
The operation was conducted with the blessing of Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso, led by Manila Director of Business Permit Levy Facundo in Binondo.
This is related to the “misrepresentation” of some stalls in the sale of beauty products claiming that the Philippine capital is a Chinese province. He said this is against the city ordinance.
“Hahanapan natin sila ng compliance. Closed sila ngayon. They cannot open without us lifting the closure.”
Apart from that, the Food and Drug Administration also does not show approval from the said businesses. Additional businesses and mayor’s permits will also be sought for such businesses.
“Lahat che-checkin natin… kasi baka ito’y makadisgrasya. At higit sa lahat nga… hindi ito maliit na bagay dahil po ito ay misrepresentation,”Facundo said.
“Ang Binondo po ay nasa Maynila, wala po sa [People’s] Republic of China. Hindi tayo papayag na ganyan na lang ang mangyari.”
Binondo, Manila, where many Chinese live and work, is known. It will be recalled that the People’s Republic of China (PRC) maintains that it owns some territory in the South China Sea even though its “sovereign rights” were awarded in the Philippines in 2016.
Meanwhile, the Palace only belittled such news regarding the alleged claim of the Chinese in Manila, which is the seat of power of President Rodrigo Duterte himself.
“Kalokohan yan. ‘Di na pinapansin yan. Alam naman natin na ang Pilipinas ay di probinsya ng Tsina,”presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said in a virtual briefing earlier.
Roque added that the ball is already in the FDA if they follow the call of PBA party-list Rep. Jericho Nograles to completely blacklist the Philippines “Ashley Shine Keratin Treatment Deep Repair,” which went viral recently due to a misleading manufacturing address, which seems to indicate that China has already occupied the Philippines.
All of that is happening even though Digong used to joke that the Philippines is the “province of China” in February 2018 right in front of Chinese Ambassador Zhao Jianhua.
“Ganoon na lang ang respeto ko kay [Chinese President] Xi Jinping… They assured us, they will not build anything there sa Scarborough Shoal,”Digong said.
“Si Xi Jinping mismo ang nagsabi, and he is a man of honor. Kaya nga ang sabi ko, ‘Why are you so sparing? Gusto ninyo, gawin niyo na lang kaming province… Philippine province of China.’ Oh, ‘di wala na tayong problema? Libre na lahat.”
