FOUR vessels of the Chinese Coast Guard harassed Philippine government vessels deploying floating aggregate devices (FADs) near two features in the contested West Philippine Sea in the South China Sea, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said yesterday.
Commodore Jay Tarriela, PCG spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea, said 11 of the FADs were deployed near the Hasa-Hasa Shoal and nine others near Kanduli Shoal, during a three-day operation that ended yesterday.
The two shoals, he said, are about 50 to 55 nautical miles from mainland Palawan, or well within the country’s 200 nautical miles exclusive economic zone.
FADs, called “payao” or “payaw” in Filipino, are designed to attract fish.
Tarriela said the PCG and the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) deployed five vessels during the operation.
The objective of the operation, he said, was to “bolster the livelihood of Filipino fishermen by improving their fish catch,” in line with the national government’s Kadiwa para sa Bagong Bayaning Mangingisda program that aims to ensure a sustainable and affordable supply of fish.
“Throughout the operation, the PCG and BFAR faced radio challenges and dangerous maneuvers from four China Coast Guard vessels attempting to hinder the deployment of FADs,” said Tarriela.
Tarriela said the Chinese vessels have bow numbers 5103, 5101, 21588 and 21549.
“Our crew, especially the radio operators, responded with professionalism and composure, successfully maintaining our maritime presence with dignity and courage,” he added.
He said the presence of the Chinese vessels at the two shoals was illegal, noting that these are within the EEZ of the Philippines.
Tarriela said the PCG and BFAR remain steadfast in their mission to “safeguard the livelihoods of our people, promote food security, and uphold our sovereign rights in the West Philippine Sea.”
China has been harassing Philippine government vessels in the past several years as it presses its claim to almost the entire South China Sea. The acts of harassment include ramming, water cannoning, dangerous maneuvers, and laser pointing.
Meanwhile, the PCG said it recently conducted a coral rehabilitation operation near the Philippine-occupied Pag-asa Island and other features in the West Philippine Sea.
The PCG said the operation, spearheaded by its Marine Science Group, “utilized methods such as selecting of coral fragment, handling and replanting procedures and assisting biodiversity assessments and underwater surveys.”
The operation, it also said, is pursuant to President Marcos Jr’s directive to protect and restore the maritime ecosystem in the West Philippine Sea.
