A similar visit last month by Taiwanese President Chen Shui-bian to an island claimed by his country sparked protests from Vietnam and the Philippines.

The Spratlys, believed to be rich in oil, gas and fish stocks, consist of about 100 barren islets, reefs and atolls dotting the world’s busiest shipping lanes in the South China Sea.

Vietnam, China, Taiwan, the Philippines, Malaysia and Brunei each claim all or part of the low-lying islands.

Philippine military chief Gen. Hermogenes Esperon arrived Monday on Pag-asa — the biggest island in the Kalayaan group of islets claimed by the country — to visit troops and bring supplies.

Speaking before his plane took off for Pag-asa from a military camp in southwestern Palawan island, he said Arroyo scolded him when he told her he would make a trip without her.

“She said, ‘You should have told me about your trip earlier because I really wanted to go to Kalayaan,’ “ Esperon told troops. “So I am giving all of you warning, in the coming days or week, I think the president will include that in her schedule.”

Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita denied Arroyo was going, saying he was unaware of Esperon’s conversation with the president.

Esperon told reporters his visit to Pag-asa island could reinforce the country’s claims over that portion of the Spratlys.

His trip, he said, was also to prepare for government’s summer program to bring in more civilians.

Lawmakers have expressed concern the Philippines has failed to protect its interests in the Spratlys over more aggressive posturing by its neighbors, particularly China.

The Philippines, China and Vietnam have signed onto a three-year seismic study, ending in June, aimed at finding out if there are possible oil reserves in the South China Sea.

But the agreement also apparently covers areas in Philippine territorial waters, and local media have linked it to Chinese loans for allegedly overpriced projects that witnesses have told the Senate involved kickbacks to officials.

The government has refused to make the agreement public and has denied any irregularities.

The agreement was signed in 2004 by state owned Philippine National Oil Corp. and China National Offshore Oil Corp. The Vietnam Oil and Gas Corp. joined in 2005, but three other claimants to the disputed island chain — Taiwan, Malaysia and Brunei — are excluded.

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