It is no wonder that the Philippines has been blessed with vast seas embellished by thousands of fishes, corals, and wonders underneath. As an archipelagic country between the South China Sea and the Pacific Ocean with 7,641 islands, the Philippines takes pride in its incandescent beaches and seas that enrich the fishermen and bring tourists in. Yet despite the innate blessing endowed by Mother Nature, there is a looming threat of destruction for these riches because of geopolitical issues brought about by the territorial dispute over Bajo De Masinloc, otherwise known as Scarborough Shoal. On February 17, the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) found that the lagoon and its coral reefs had been heavily damaged, possibly due to cyanide fishing by Chinese and Vietnamese fishermen.

Cyanide fishing is one of the many hazardous ways of fishing as it involves spraying a chemical called sodium cyanide into the fish's habitat to immobilize them. Although considered an easy method, it destroys and bears adverse effects not only on the target population but also on the surrounding marine organisms, including coral reefs. The locals had told the BFAR that China may have been deliberately damaging the Bajo De Masinloc to drive Filipino fishermen away from the lagoon. When the officials descended into the shoal to inspect the marine life there, they found that the coral reefs had become white, crushed, and pulverized, indicating that the quality of marine life there had significantly reduced. Cyanide fishing is also the reason why only smaller fishes inhabit the lagoon. 

Although there is not enough evidence yet confirming that Chinese or Vietnamese fishermen conducted cyanide fishing, one can be sure that China never had clean intentions about Bajo De Masinloc in the first place. Since 2012, Chinese vessels have been flittering around the Spratly Islands, driving Filipino vessels and fishermen away. They stand by their nine-dash-line, which apparently includes Scarborough Shoal and the Spratly Islands. Since then, the Chinese have been constructing artificial islands and buildings on some parts of the Kalayaan Island Group (KIG), that are rightfully owned by the Philippines. Kagitingan Reef, Panganiban Reef, Zamora Reef, Calderon Reef, and McKennan Reef all belong to the KIG, yet China has already developed artificial islands and infrastructures in these.

Just recently, China has increased its repressive force towards the nearby area in Ayungin Shoal. The National Task Force released reports of harassment, blockage, and dangerous maneuvers of China Coast Guard (CCG) and Chinese Maritime Militia (CMM) towards Philippine civilian supply vessels on December 10, 2023, as an attempt to illegally hinder a routine resupply and rotation mission (RORE) to BRP Sierra Madre (LS 57); a second world-war era ship that has been grounded intentionally on the shallow waters of the West Philippine Sea to serve as an outpost that guards against the Chinese expansion. A Chinese vessel also deployed a water cannon against the Philippine supply vessels that caused severe damage to M/L Kalayaan’s engines, immobilizing the vessel and harming its crew. Another victim of this water cannon was BRP Cabra (MRRV-4409), whose mast got damaged after being targeted by the China Coast Guard’s cannon at full strength.

In addition to this, the CCG and CMM performed reckless maneuvers and dangerous harassment at close range toward Philippine Coast Guard vessels and the resupply boats Unaizah Mae 1 (UM1) and M/L Kalayaan on their approach to Ayungin Shoal. The Task Force calls to reiterate that the Philippines rightfully owns the shoal as it is within the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and continental shelf. Hence, the evident obstruction of legitimate and routine Philippine rotation and resupply missions to Ayungin Shoal is utterly unacceptable.

The Philippines' stand on this dispute is not decided by mere opinions or feelings alone. The Law of the Sea Convention (LOSC) is an international agreement providing the framework for maritime operations. It balances the rights of coastal States with the areas of the ocean under their jurisdiction through Maritime Zones drawn using baselines. Among these is the EEZ or the Exclusive Economic Zone, which grants a coastal state to exploit or conserve any resources (living and non-living) found within the water, on the seafloor, or under the sea floor 200 nautical miles from the baseline. Another measure is the continental shelf, which is considered an underwater extension of the land whose area gradually slopes down from the coast to the seabed floor. This series of slopes and floors is collectively known as the continental margin. The LOSC authorizes a state to practice economic rights extending only to non-living and sedentary living resources along the continental shelf 200 nautical miles from the baseline until the continental margin that extends beyond 200 nautical miles.

Both of these measures set by the LOSC qualify the Bajo De Masinloc and Ayungin Shoal as part of the Philippine territory; hence, the country should be able to practice its complete rights and authority over the said territories. To further strengthen this claim, the Philippines filed a case to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea in January 2013 to settle its sovereign rights over the West Philippine Sea, which China refused to attend and acknowledge. In 2016, the Arbitral Tribunal unanimously decided that the Philippines has exclusive sovereign rights over the territory and that China's allegedly historic rights through the nine-dash-line had no legal basis.

It is clear as daylight how the country slowly gets stripped of its statutory rights by a bigger and more imposing country. The Philippines seems helpless as it does, especially with the striking difference between the two countries' naval power and military size. Our fishermen have no choice but to give up fishing in the most abundant areas and tuck their tails behind their legs as the Chinese vessels continue to impede, threaten, and harass their small fishing boats. Even so, they strategically look for alternatives by fishing in other nearby areas or tagging along Philippine government vessels to stay out of China's radar. On the other hand, the Philippine Coast Guard continues to fight their way during the resupply missions, taking their firm stand amidst the unfair and terrifying tactics China keeps on doing. Our locals have been doing their best to fight and take their stand in their own ways, and yet the president and vice-president conspicuously remain silent and adamant about not talking assertively about the issue.

Despite the aggressive stance of China towards claiming the West Philippine Sea and halting the RORE missions for BRP Sierra Madre, President Marcos Jr. insists on making peaceful agreements and warns people to be careful not to overreact regarding the issue. A few talks have gone underway since then, but there is still no progress until now. 

In fact, the dispute has become more intense and belittling at present as our natural resources are destroyed and depleted. Fighting over the territory is one thing, but having the valuable and irreplaceable resources such as corals and coral reefs be ruined is another. If proven guilty, perhaps the harming of nature and the shoal itself is enough proof that China does not truly own the territory, nor does it deserve to be called its rightful owner.

Decisive action must be taken amidst this growing conflict and danger imposed on our people and natural resources. Mere words and statements will bring us to places, but definite measures will free this country from the hoax chains imposed by the Chinese. It is time for the Philippines to stand its appropriate ground and stop subjecting itself to China's mercy. We need to protect our own shoals, our own people, and our own territory, for we are not a puppet of China or their province, nor will we ever be.