The national government has intensified the monitoring and transparency measures to prevent further escalation in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) even as maritime experts warned that China's ongoing activities in Bajo de Masinloc (Scarborough or Panatag Shoal) could be part of a long-term effort to establish an artificial island in the disputed feature.

Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) spokesperson for WPS Rear Adm. Jay Tarriela said Chinese vessels maintained its presence in Bajo de Masinloc along with its movable floating platform, but Beijing insisted that what it was doing was part of a "legitimate marine scientific research," claiming the area as part of its territorial waters.

Bajo de Masinloc is located approximately 190 nautical miles from Palauig, Zambales — well within the country's 200-nautical mile ezclusive economic zone. It is also located 500 nautical miles from Hainan, the southernmost province of China.

The movable floating platform, previously detected near the center of the shoal, has since been repositioned to the northern portion of Bajo de Masinloc, according to Tarriela. Additional buoys and antenna-like equipment installed by China also remain in place.

"For the Chinese government, what they are doing in Bajo de Masinloc right now is legitimate marine scientific research," Tarriela said during a news forum in Quezon City.

He said the Philippine government continues to conduct maritime domain awareness flights and has deployed Coast Guard vessels to monitor and challenge the presence of two Chinese research vessels operating within the shoal and believed to have deployed the floating platform.

The floating platform has become a source of concern for defense and security officials, who earlier called on China to remove the structure and formally protested its presence.

Tarriela said the government's transparency campaign is intended to expose China's activities and deter any attempt to establish a more permanent presence in the shoal.

"We intend to make the international community aware of what's happening in Bajo de Masinloc," he said, adding that public disclosure of developments in the area could help prevent China from pursuing any plans it may have for the disputed feature.

Maritime law expert and lawyer Jay Batongbacal warned that China's explanation that the structures are intended for scientific research mirrors justifications Beijing previously used before transforming other disputed reefs into artificial islands.

Batongbacal cited Fiery Cross Reef, where China initially claimed scientific and civilian purposes before constructing a large artificial island, as well as Mischief Reef, where structures initially described as fishermen's shelters eventually evolved into one of Beijing's largest military outposts in the South China Sea.

"Nakakapag-raise pa ito lalo ng suspicion na inumpisahan na nila ang proseso para gumawa ng artificial island sa Scarborough," Batongbacal said.

He said the possibility of a future military installation at the shoal represents the long-term outcome Philippine authorities should seek to prevent.

Meanwhile, retired Rear Adm. Rommel Ong, professor of praxis at the Ateneo School of Government, said China's deployment of survey equipment inside the shoal suggests Beijing may no longer view previous Philippine warnings against reclamation as a deterrent.

"Obviously ramdam nila na ang red line has diminished kaya ginawa nila itong actual na pagdeploy ng survey equipment sa loob ng Panatag Shoal," Ong said.

He warned that continued concessions could encourage China to push further toward its objectives, including the construction of an artificial island.

"Kung hindi tayo magmamatigas, doon tayo patungo sa worst-case scenario na tatayuan na ito ng artificial island," Ong said.

He said the challenge for Manila is to develop an approach that either de-escalates tensions or effectively enforces its red lines without triggering a broader confrontation.

Tarriela said the National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea's transparency initiative remains an important tool for exposing what the Philippines considers unlawful activities and preventing them from becoming normalized.

President Marcos Jr. has repeatedly maintained that the government will not allow Bajo de Masinloc to be transformed into a man-made island, citing concerns that China could replicate the strategy it employed in other disputed features in the South China Sea.