Filipino and American marines demonstrated their growing interoperability and maritime defense capabilities through a joint maritime strike event exercise held on Friday, Oct. 17, at the headquarters of the 4th Marine “Makusug” Brigade (4MBDE) in Burgos, Ilocos Norte. The activity formed part...
Two more civilian vessels of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) were apparently hit by a water cannon by the China Coast Guard (CCG) near Pag-asa (Thitu) Island in the West Philippine Sea (WPS), the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) revealed on Monday, Oct. 13. Aside from BRP Datu...
A China Coast Guard (CCG) ship fired a water cannon and deliberately rammed a Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) vessel anchored in the territorial waters of Pag-asa (Thitu) Island in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) on Sunday morning, Oct. 12, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said. PCG...
Department of National Defense (DND) Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. has invited Ireland to participate in joint patrols with the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) in the West Philippine Sea (WPS). Teodoro made the pitch to Irish Ambassador to the Philippines Emma Hickey during the latter’s...
ZAMBOANGA CITY -- Weesam Express, a fastcraft transporting passengers from Zamboanga to Basilan and vice versa, sunk while docked at the port of Zamboanga at dawn on Tuesday, Oct. 7. Vessel captain Samuel Sabanal said the boat crew initially observed water seeping into the vessel at around 3 a.m.,...
ZAMBOANGA CITY – Authorities safely rescued 20 fishermen two hours after they received a distress call from a fishing vessel in the sea of Basilan and Sulu, police said Monday. Police Major Geobani Calle, chief of the Basilan Maritime Police Station (MARPSTA), said the 20 fishermen, all crew of...
Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Secretary Ma. Theresa Lazaro co-headed the Foreign Ministerial Meeting on achieving a secure and stable domain to address shared maritime issues such as freedom of navigation and commerce. “Amidst increasing illegal, coercive, aggressive and deceptive actions...
REAL, Quezon - Forty-one passengers were rescued after a passenger ship ran aground near the Port of Real in Barangay Ungos here on Tuesday morning, Sept. 23. The roll-on, roll-off vessel carrying 41 passengers and seven rolling cargoes was about to depart from the port bound for Polillo Island...
The National Maritime Council (NMC) and several members of the diplomatic community protested the latest incident near Bajo de Masinloc (Scarborough Shoal), wherein Chinese vessels water cannoned a Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) vessel. “The Philippines condemns the latest...
A personnel of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) was injured when a China Coast Guard (CCG) ship fired water cannon at a Philippine vessel during a humanitarian mission in Bajo de Masinloc (Scarborough or Panatag Shoal) in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) on Tuesday, Sept. 16. A...
The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) observed a shift in China’s approach in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) after a Chinese warship invoked “sovereign immunity” to justify its presence inside the country’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ). A Jiangkai-class frigate with bow number “551”...
Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Secretary Ma. Theresa Lazaro revealed that maritime protection and concerns will be one of the priorities that the Philippines will pursue in its chairship of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) next year. In her message for the Maritime and...
