THE military has observed a significant decrease in the number of Chinese vessels in several features in the West Philippine Sea (WPS), including at Escoda and Ayungin shoals.

Based on the Navy’s monitoring from September 24 to 30, 178 Chinese vessels were sighted in these areas — 131 maritime militia, 28 Coast Guard and 17 Navy.

“These are raw figures based on a one-week monitoring. It is too early to attribute the decrease to any particular event,” said Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad, the Navy’s spokesman for the WPS.

The number decreased from the previous week when 251 vessels were monitored in these features, which the military said was highest number of Chinese vessels seen in these areas this year in a span of one week.

In the latest monitoring period, 50 of the 178 Chinese vessels were seen at Pag-asa Island — 46 maritime militia, two Navy and two Coast Guard. Pag-asa Island is the largest among the nine features occupied by the Philippines in the WPS.

Thirty vessels (28 maritime militia and two Navy) were spotted at Iroquois Reef, 27 at Escoda Shoal (12 maritime militia, 10 Coast Guard and five Navy), and 24 at Ayungin Shoal (12 maritime militia, 10 Coast Guard, and two Navy).

The rest were at Scarborough Shoal (six maritime militia, five Coast Guard, two research, and one Navy), Kota Island (six maritime militia), Panata Island (four maritime militia, one Navy), Likas Island (one Navy, one maritime militia), Rizal Reef (one Coast Guard, one Navy), Parola Island (one Navy), and Lawak Island (one Navy).

Chinese vessels at Escoda Shoal and Ayungin Shoal decreased by 55 (from 82 to 27) and 48, respectively.

However, the overall decrease was only 73 owing to the increase of Chinese vessels at some of the 10 other features, including Pag-asa Island (50 the past week, compared to 25 the previous week)

The number of Chinese vessels in these areas has been fluctuating as China continues its aggressive activities in the WPS.

“We have to be prepared for the ‘long game’ in the West Philippine Sea and look at the strategic or bigger picture. Amid all of these, your Navy and your AFP will continue performing its mandate of ensuring the integrity of our national territory,” said Trinidad.

Senate President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Estrada said the Department of Foreign Affairs should heed the Senate’s call “and take a decisive step in pursuing the filing of a resolution before the United Nations General Assembly to call for the immediate cessation of all activities by China against our maritime authorities and Filipino fisherfolk.”

He noted that the Senate adopted in August Senate Resolution No. 79 condemning China’s repeated violations and aggressive actions within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone.

“Senators, crossing party lines, jointly urged our government to intensify its efforts to engage the international community in upholding our hard-earned victory at The Hague,” he said.

He said China’s actions are “too much” as they are putting the lives of Filipinos in danger.

“By bringing this matter to the attention of the UN, we emphasize that this issue extends beyond just two countries. It is about upholding international law and the sovereignty of all nation, regardless of their size. I urge the DFA to take swift action and represent the voice of the Filipino people on the world stage,” he said. – With Raymond Africa

He added, “Our government is also not precluded from pursuing further legal recourse through international courts, akin to the 2016 arbitration ruling that nullified China’s claims to the West Philippine Sea.”