The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) has teamed up with scientists and environmentalists from the University of the Philippines (UP) and Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) to rehabilitate different marine ecosystems in the West Philippine Sea (WPS).
The PCG Marine Science Group (MSG), UP Marine Science Institute (UP MSI), and DENR Biodiversity Management Bureau (DENR BMB) launched a research expedition at Kalayaan Island Group (KIG) from Feb. 22 to 28 to establish a baseline biodiversity data in the area.
According to Commodore May Marfil, deputy chief of Coast Guard Staff for Marine Environmental Protection (CG-9), experts from the three organizations assessed the diversity and community structure of seaweeds, mollusks, and other benthic invertebrates in the KIG.
They also documented biodiversity, abundance, and distribution of seagrasses on the reef flat of Pagasa (Thitu) Island; and conducted mollusk surveys to better understand habitat interactions, as well as identified and map prioritized reef restoration sites.
Marfil underscored that the initiative was a prelude to a series of activities “to rehabilitate the coral reefs and other marine ecosystems in the West Philippine Sea (WPS).”
“This is also in line with the PCG’s mandate on marine environment protection and in recognition of the immeasurable importance of the marine environment and resources to the Filipino people,” he noted.
In 2023, the PCG revealed that there was “extensive damage” inflicted upon the marine environment and coral reef in the seabed of Rozul (Iroquois) Reef and Escoda (Sabina) Shoal in the WPS due to frequent activities by Chinese militia.
The PCG conducted extensive underwater surveys of the seabed in Rozul Reef and Escoda Shoal from Aug. 9, 2023 to Sept. 11, 2023 and it found out that the marine ecosystem in the said features “appeared lifeless, with minimal to no signs of life” after being swarmed by Chinese militia vessels.
The survey further showed visible discoloration of the seabed of Escoda Shoal, “strongly indicating that deliberate activities may have been undertaken to modify the natural topography of its underwater terrain.”
There were also crushed corals in the PWS features which “strongly suggests a potential act of dumping,” which the PCG suspected could be signs of reclamation activities.
The Chinese Embassy in Manila had dismissed the accusation, saying it was “baseless and speculative.”
PAF ready to escort civilian aircraft during WPS patrols
Meanwhile, the Philippine Air Force (PAF) said it is prepared to assist civilian aircraft of the government whenever they conduct patrol operations in the WPS to keep them safe from harassment from hostile forces.
“That's part of our mandate, to support any other aircraft that is in danger or in distress to ensure the safety of any of our other government equipment, be it on air or on the ground,” PAF spokesperson Col. Ma Consuelo Castillo said.
“Whenever we are called upon to deploy our air assets to support other aircraft operating, be it civilian aircraft or another military aircraft, the Air Force is capable,” she added.
However, Castillo explained that the PAF has to consider its operational requirements since some of the areas being patrolled by civilian government agencies such as the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) are different from their area of operation.
“That will require some operational considerations in terms of logistics, sustainment, because that's a very far area from the normal operating area for current helicopters right now. But if there will be future policies, definitely, we have to consider a lot of things to ensure the operational readiness and sustainment of the operations of our aircraft,” she said.
Still, Castillo bared that some of the PAF’s aircraft are capable of being launched from a ship so it would be easier if they could coordinate with the Philippine Navy (PN) for ship deck operations.
“So if there's an available ship where our aircraft can safely land, we have been training with the Philippine Navy for ship deck operations, that operation is possible,” she said.
It can be recalled that a BFAR aircraft was harassed by a Chinese military plane while on a patrol operation in Bajo de Masinloc last Feb. 18.