More Filipino fishermen are now fishing in Bajo de Masinloc or Scarborough Shoal, the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) said on Sunday, February 25.
BFAR spokesperson Nazario Briguera said they provided aid to 44 Filipino fishers during the bureau’s recent mission in Bajo de Masinloc.
“Kumpara doon sa nakaraan nating misyon, mas nadagdagan ang Filipino fishing boats na nabigyan ng ayuda. From 21 noong nakaraan, ngayon po ay nasa 44. Maganda po itong senyales na ibig sabihin [ay] nadagdagan ‘yung mga mangingisda natin na nangingisda sa Bajo de Masinloc ( Compared to our previous mission, the number of Filipino fishing boats that were given aid has increased. From 21 in the past, now it is at 44. This is a good sign that means that our fishermen who fish in Bajo de Masinloc have increased),” he said in a radio interview.
“Kaya tinitingnan namin ito bilang isang magandang senyales kasi ibig sabihin nito ay na-bo-boost ‘yung morale ng mga mangingisda, tumataas ang kanilang tiwala sa pamahalaan na nandyan ang pamahalaan para bigyan sila ng suporta (So we look at this as a good sign because it means that the morale of the fishermen have boosted, their trust in the government is increasing that the government is there to give them support),” he added.
The BFAR stated that it has provided 44,900 liters of diesel, 270 liters of drinking water, and 20 gallons of fresh water to the fishers.
Briguera said that fishermen in Bajo de Masinloc have so far caught at least 40 tons of fish.
The China Coast Guard (CCG) and Chinese militia have been too busy monitoring BFAR's vessel, BRP Datu Sanday, to interfere with the Filipino fishermen's activities in the Bajo de Masinloc, according to the BFAR official.
Recently, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) reported that the CCG blocked and blinded BFAR’s vessel while heading to Bajo de Masinloc to provide fuel aid to Filipino fisherfolk on Feb. 22.
Briguera said the BFAR vessel still managed to assist Filipino fishers.
The BFAR earlier announced that the Philippines has allocated at least P2.5 billion to purchase new floating assets to increase the government’s presence and accompany Filipino fishers in the West Philippine Sea (WPS).
Per the BFAR spokesperson, the government will buy monitoring control and surveillance (MCS) patrol vessels, food boats, and ships this year.
The BFAR noted that around 90 percent of the 385,300 fisherfolk in the vicinity of the WPS have benefitted from the government’s “LAYAG WPS” project or ‘LAYAG West Philippine Sea’ which stands for Livelihood Activities to Enhance Fisheries Yield and Economic Gains from WPS.
LAYAG WPS intends to further livelihood opportunities for fisherfolk living.
It stated that nearly 400,000 fisherfolk benefitting the said project are hailing from Marinduque, Occidental Mindoro, Oriental Mindoro, Palawan, and Romblon (MIMAROPA), Region I, Region III, and the National Capital Region (NCR). BFAR noted that these regions are within the vicinity of the WPS.
In July 2016, China’s nine-dash line claims in the South China Sea were rejected by an arbitral tribunal at the Permanent Court of Arbitration. The case was brought by the Philippines based on the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
It can be recalled that Filipino fisherfolk have cried foul over the alleged harassment they experienced from foreign vessels while they were fishing in Bajo de Masinloc or Scarborough in 2021.
The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) reported that a China Coast Guard ship (CCG) directed a military-grade laser light at a PCG vessel in Ayungin (Second Thomas) Shoal, West Philippine Sea on Feb. 6, 2023.
In December 2023, a CCG ship fired a water cannon at BFAR vessels that were delivering supplies to fisherfolk communities in Bajo de Masinloc.
On February 18, the BFAR disclosed reports from Filipino fishers that Chinese fishermen are allegedly using cyanide to destroy Bajo de Masinloc in an apparent bid to discourage Filipinos from fishing in its waters.