MANILA, Philippines — The number of Chinese vessels swarming various parts of the West Philippine Sea (WPS) has now reached a new record high of 251, of which 153 are concentrated within the vicinity of Ayungin and Escoda (Sabina) Shoals.
From only seven monitored during the period from Sept. 10 to 16, the Philippine Navy said there were 16 People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) warships spotted inside the country’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ) during the last week.
Eleven of the military vessels were seen in the vicinity of Escoda Shoal, along with 16 China Coast Guard (CCG) boats and 55 maritime militia vessels (MMVs).
Around Ayungin Shoal, where the grounded BRP Sierra Madre remains, the Philippine Navy monitored nine CCG vessels and 62 MMVs, along with one research vessel.
In sum, there were 16 PLAN warships, 28 CCG boats, 204 MMVs and three Chinese research vessels seen in 13 different features or locations within the country’s EEZ from Sept. 17 to 23, compared to a total of only 157 during the previous week.
Asked if the significant increase can be considered as alarming, Philippine Navy spokesman for the WPS Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad said the presence of Chinese vessels in the WPS “have been illegal since we started monitoring them.”
“The alarm has already been raised 25 years ago when they started reclamation activities or they started the illegal presence in the West Philippine Sea,” Trinidad told reporters at a press briefing.
Still, he noted that the number is still within the force projection capability of the total number of MMVs that China has in the entire South China Sea (SCS).
“So as I mentioned in the previous press conferences, they swing this around from the different maritime coastal states, from Vietnam, from Malaysia, sometimes from the different bases they have in Mischief or Subi or Johnson (Reefs),” he explained.
Weather is one factor to consider in the changes in the number of Chinese vessels in the WPS, according to Trinidad, who admitted that 251 is the highest number of Chinese vessels in the disputed waters.
“For whatever reason, I don’t want to speculate on that. We continue monitoring. We continue performing our mandate,” he said.
Trinidad added that this is also the first time that such a high number of Chinese vessels was seen in Escoda Shoal just after the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) decided to send BRP Teresa Magbanua back home following months of guarding and maintaining presence in the area.
The Philippine Navy official assured the nation that while China continues to establish its presence in the WPS to enforce its 10-dash line claim despite being debunked by the 2016 Arbitral Award, “the AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines) is to continue performing our mandate in accordance with guidance from higher headquarters.”
Trinidad likewise assured the families of soldiers stationed at BRP Sierra Madre in Ayungin Shoal that despite the increased presence of Chinese vessels in the area, “(soldiers’) morale is high.”
He said the military also recently received reports that a Chinese research vessel came as close as 27 nautical miles from Palawan and a PCG vessel and three navy ships were sent to check on the same.
“It so happened when they got to the vicinity, the research vessel was not there anymore. Our tracking is it exited southwest direction from the last reported position,” he added.
On how a Chinese military helicopter tailed and came as close as six meters to a Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) plane patrolling the WPS, Trinidad asserted that pilots also have their appropriate contingency measures for such incidents.
Fisherfolk congress
More than 150 fisherfolk from coastal communities of Subic, Santa Cruz and Masinloc in Zambales held a meeting with the National Security Council (NSC) yesterday to discuss the current problems they are facing in the WPS, particularly in Panatag (Scarborough) Shoal, also known as Bajo de Masinloc.
The Fisherfolk Congress or the Kongreso ng Mangingisda para sa Kapayapaan at Kaunlaran held at the Subic municipal gymnasium gave them the opportunity to air their concerns amid the continuing presence of Chinese vessels in one of their traditional fishing grounds.
Aimed toward empowering affected communities to advocate for maritime peace, safety and sustainable fishing practices in the WPS, the NSC said it organized the activity with the support of various government agencies to provide essential knowledge and tools to the fisherfolk and ensure that their livelihood and security are protected in the country’s maritime territories.
During the event, National Security Adviser Eduardo Año expressed the government’s gratitude to the fishermen for their hard work and resilience.
Año also emphasized that despite recent challenges such as typhoons and maritime threats, the fisherfolk are not alone and can rely on the government as an ally and partner when they fish in the WPS.
“The NSC convened the Fishermen’s Congress for the government to know the concerns of our fisherfolk and to assure them that the government will be there to support them in their work. We also told them that we have increased the PCG/BFAR rotational presence in Bajo de Masinloc to ensure the Philippine government’s presence in the WPS in the face of harassment from the Chinese Coast Guard,” NSC assistant director general Jonathan Malaya said.
Throughout the congress, the NSC said key government agencies provided updates on initiatives aimed at supporting the fisherfolk of Zambales with Nazario Briguera, spokesman and chief of the Information and Fisherfolk Coordination Unit of the BFAR, sharing ongoing projects designed to enhance the livelihoods of fisherfolk in the WPS.
PCG spokesman for the WPS, Commodore Jay Tarriela, detailed the Coast Guard’s efforts to ensure the safety and security of fishing communities operating in country’s territorial waters and EEZ.
The fisherfolk received family health packs containing first-aid kits from the Department of Health and family food packs, including rice and assorted canned goods, as well as financial assistance of P10,000 to each qualified fisherfolk participant from the DSWD.
“This direct distribution of assistance underscored the government’s tangible support for the fisherfolk, particularly in times of crisis,” Malaya said.
“The Fisherfolk Congress not only provided participants with practical skills to protect themselves and their livelihoods, but also encouraged them to take an active role in advocating for the protection of the West Philippine Sea. Through the collective efforts of national and local government agencies, the fisherfolk of Zambales are now better prepared to ensure the safety, sustainability and security of the country’s vital maritime resources,” he added. — Cecille Suerte Felipe