The Office of Civil Defense (OCD) cautioned Palawan and Basilan after China’s planned rocket launch on Saturday, Jan. 25, as debris could fall in their coastal areas.
OCD deputy administrator for operations Director Cesar Idio signed Memorandum No. 21 series of 2025, directing government agencies to ensure public safety in coastal areas where the debris of the Chinese rocket may fall.
The launch of Long March 8A rocket was scheduled between 5:53 p.m. and 6:42 p.m. at the Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site in south China's island province of Hainan, according to an advisory from the OCD.
Three designated drop zones where parts of the rocket are expected to land were identified, the OCD advisory read.
These are 85 nautical miles from Rozul (Iroquois) Reef, which is located at the southern end of Recto (Reed) Bank in the northeastern portion of Kalayaan Island Group in Palawan; 40 nautical miles from Puerto Princesa, Palawan; and 33 nautical miles from Hadji Muhtamad, Basilan.
Idio advised the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources – National Mapping and Resource Information Authority (DENR-NAMRIA) to implement temporary restrictions, and issue notices to mariners and coastal navigational warnings in the identified drop zones.
He also directed regional disaster risk reduction and management councils (RDRRMCs) in Mimaropa (Region 4B) and Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) to closely monitor the situation and provide updates to the OCD operations center in Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City.
“The Philippine Space Agency (PhilSA) warns against retrieving or approaching any debris, as remnants may contain toxic substances such as rocket fuel. In cases where contact with debris is unavoidable, personal protective equipment (PPE) is recommended,” the OCD noted.
The OCD also urged the public to report any suspected debris sightings at sea or on land so that authorities could immediately respond.
The national government has long criticized China due to its continued rocket launch activities.
In the past launches, some rocket debris fell into the coastal waters of the Philippines which posed danger and risk to ships, aircraft, fishing boats, and other vessels passing through the designated drop zones.
Read: Suspected rocket debris from China found in open sea off Bataan – PCG