PCG to keep WPS presence despite China’s growing aggression

The Philippine Coast Guard will keep its presence in the West Philippine Sea amid China’s heightened aggression.

In a radio interview on Sunday, PCG spokesperson Rear Admiral Armand Balilo said their maritime operations in the area will continue despite being confronted and harassed by their Chinese counterparts. 

"Sa kabila ng mga naranasan nating mga panggigipit sa'tin ng China Coast Guard at 'yung mga nangyaring incidents, nananatili ang mga tauhan natin na tapat sa kanilang tungkulin na ipagpatuloy 'yung utos ng ating pamahalaan na ilagay 'yung presensya natin doon sa West Philippine Sea at 'wag magpatinag doon sa nangyayari (Despite the pressure we experience from the China Coast Guard and the incidents that have happened, our personnel remain faithful to their duty to follow the order of the government to put our presence in the West Philippine Sea and to not get swayed by what has been happening),” Balilo said. 

Balilo said PCG personnel maintain high morale and will exert maximum tolerance even if China acts more aggressively. 

“Subalit ang kailangan lamang dito ay ‘yung attitude nila, tignan na dapat ang kapayapaan ang panatiliin at 'wag pumatol doon sa ginagawa ng China sa West Philippine Sea (But what we needed here is our personnel’s attitude, to assure that peace should be maintained and to not retaliate at China’s actions in the West Philippine Sea),” he added.

Malacañang on Sunday said President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. signed Executive Order No. 57, calling for the country’s strengthened maritime security and maritime domain awareness. 

The EO 57 renamed and reorganized the National Coast Watch Council into the National Maritime Council (NMC), will be chaired by Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin.

The NMC will be responsible for formulating policies and strategies to ensure a unified, coordinated, and effective governance framework for the country’s maritime security and domain awareness, among other powers and functions.

Balilo said the issuance of the President’s order will allow the PCG to “step up” their operations in other areas aside from Ayungin Shoal in the WPS.

“More or less, ‘yung magiging trabaho niyan ay pareho. Siguro dahil lamang sa incident, baka i-step up ang ating mga operations, lalo na ang ating maritime domain awareness, maaaring hindi lamang doon sa area ng Ayungin kung saan laging may gulo, baka sa other areas pa, kasama ang Bajo de Masinloc (More or less, our job will still be the same. Maybe because of the incident, we might step up our operations, especially our maritime domain awareness, not only in the Ayungin area where there is always trouble, but in other areas as well, including Bajo de Masinloc),” he said.

Balilo said the PCG will exhaust all of its efforts to maintain its mandates in the WPS. 

PCG is a member of the National Task Force on the West Philippine Sea. Under the EO57, the NTF-WPS will attached to the NMC.

The task force shall receive policy guidance from Marcos through the NMC.