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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider PH Navy expects Chinese vessels to retreat from WPS as TD 'Verbena' nears

PH Navy expects Chinese vessels to retreat from WPS as TD 'Verbena' nears

Published Nov 25, 2025 03:54 pm
A Chinese vessel operates in Bajo de Masinloc, West Philippine Sea on Nov. 21, 2025 as seen during a routine maritime domain awareness (MDA) flight by the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) and Philippine Coast Guard (PCG). (File photo: PCG)
A Chinese vessel operates in Bajo de Masinloc, West Philippine Sea on Nov. 21, 2025 as seen during a routine maritime domain awareness (MDA) flight by the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) and Philippine Coast Guard (PCG). (File photo: PCG)
The Philippine Navy (PN) is expecting a decrease in the number of Chinese vessels in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) as Tropical Depression “Verbena” approaches the western part of the country’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ).
As of 5 p.m. Monday, Nov. 24, there were four People’s Liberation Army (PLA)-Navy warships and eight China Coast Guard (CCG) vessels observed in Bajo de Masinloc (Scarborough or Panatag Shoal).
At Ayungin (Second Thomas) Shoal, one PLA-N ship and six CCG vessels were spotted while at Escoda Shoal, there were one PLA-N ship and five CCG vessels.
Meanwhile, there was no PLA-N ship at Pag-asa Island but five CCG vessels were sighted in the area.
“We expect these numbers will go down when the typhoon hits the West Philippine Sea,” Rear Adm. Roy Vincent Trinidad, PN spokesperson for WPS, said on Tuesday, Nov. 25.
As of 2 p.m. Tuesday, Verbena was located over the coastal waters of Magsaysay, Palawan. It was moving westward at 35 kilometers per hour (kph) with maximum sustained winds of 55 kph near its center and gusts reaching up to 70 kph.
Trinidad said that while no aggressive actions have been observed, the “illegal presence” of Chinese vessels continues within the EEZ of Manila.
To deter the illegal stay of Chinese vessels, the admiral said the AFP continues to conduct routine patrols in disputed waters, both at sea and in the air, under the operational control of Northern Luzon Command (Nolcom) and Western Command (Wescom).
Floating buoys
Meanwhile, Trinidad said that floating buoys installed by Chinese maritime forces at Bajo de Masinloc remained in place based on the monitoring conducted by the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG).
During a patrol conducted by the PCG on Nov. 21, authorities found two floating buoys inside the lagoon of Bajo de Masinloc while another one was positioned northwest of the area.
Trinidad said the buoys measure an estimated five to eight meters in diameter but pose no threat or obstruction to Filipino fishermen.
“This has been elevated already to the National Maritime Council and whatever the decision of the MMC to the Coast Guard or BFAR [Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources], the AFP is ready to support them,” he noted.

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AFP PCG Verbena West Philippine Sea tropical depression Roy Vincent Trinidad
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