Sail Plan Corner

Maritime Situational Awareness

Philippines’ own defence industry eyed; P1 billion seed fund set

MANILA – Senators have proposed earmarking P1 billion as seed money to finance the development of the country’s own defense industry in the wake of China’s more aggressive activities in the West Philippine Sea.   The senators, led by Senate President Juan Miguel...

Philippine national security adviser hits China’s claim of Philippines intruding into Scarborough Shoal

MANILA – National Security Adviser Eduardo Año on Tuesday said China was “creating unnecessary tensions” with the Philippines and was “overhyping” a recent incident where a Philippine Navy ship entered the waters of Panatag (Scarborough) Shoal in the West Philippine...

US expert calls for more pressure on Beijing over WPS agression

A defense expert and former senior U.S. naval officer has urged the Philippines to focus on rallying the international community towards creating a stronger international pressure on Beijing amidst China’s increased aggression in the West Philippine Sea. Retired USN...

Tolentino sees WPS coral harvesting as a prelude to reclamation

Sen. Francis “Tol” Tolentino believes there's something deeper in China's coral harvesting endeavors in Iroquios or Rozul Reef in the West Philippine Sea (WPS), saying that it might be a prelude to reclamation.   “May iba pang plano siguro po riyan, di lang ‘yong...

P122M more needed to complete Tubbataha ocean outpost

MANILA – The Tubbataha Management Office (TMO) still needs about PHP122 million to complete the construction of an offshore station that will house rangers tasked with protecting the more than 97,000-hectare Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park (TRNP) located in the Sulu Sea....

PAG-ASA Daily Weather Update

“We operate, maintain and sustain the Philippine Navy Maritime Situational Awareness System”

“We maintain a reliable database of collected maritime information”

“We provide maritime information in order to support the Philippine Navy in the accomplishment of its mission”

Ayungin Shoal — Internationally known as “Second Thomas Reef”. It is a shoal/atoll in the Spratly Islands 105 nautical miles (194 km; 121 mi) west of Palawan. It is tear-drop shaped atoll, 11 nautical miles (20 km; 13 mi) long North-South and fringed with coral reefs. The coral rim surrounds a lagoon which has depths of up to 27 metres (89 ft) and is accessible to small boats from the East. The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) maintains a presence in the shoal through the Philippine Navy vessel BRP Sierre Madre (LS57).

Kota Island — Kota is a Philippine word for a “Fort” and is internationally known as “Loaita Island”. Its size is approximately 6.45 hectares. It is located 22 miles southeast of Pag-asa. It fringes the Laoita bank and reef. Its calcarenite outcrop is visible along its western side at low tide. The present shape of the island indicates sand build-up along its eastern side.

Lawak Island — Meaning “Vastness“ and internationally known as “Nanshan Island”. It has an area of 7.93 hectares. It is located 98 miles (158 km) east of Pag-asa Island. This island is a bird sanctuary. It has a small lagoon where young birds practice to wade and dive, safe from predators of the open sea. Near the fringes of the breakwaters (approx. 2 miles (3 km) from the island), intact hard coral reefs were observed to retain their natural environment and beautiful tropical fishes were seen colonizing these coral beds of varying colors.

Likas Island — Literally means “Natural” and internationally known as “West York Island”. The second largest Phil Island in KIG has a total area of 18.6 hectares is located 47 miles northeast of Pag-asa. Its outcrops are visible on the southern and eastern portion of the island during low tides. This island is a sanctuary for giant sea turtles (pawikan) that lay their eggs on the island all year round. The high salinity of the ground water on the island retards the growth of introduced trees like coconuts, ipil-ipil, and other types.

Pag-Asa Island — Or “Hope” and internationally known as “Thitu Island”. With an area of 37.2 hectares, it is the largest of the Philippine-administered islands. It lies about 480 kilometers (300 mi) west of Puerto Princesa City. The Philippine government formally established the Municipality of Kalayaan on Pag-asa Island on 11 June 1978, by virtue of Presidential Decree 1596 series of 1978. Pag-asa Island is low-lying, with trees, shrubs and sand bars. It is surrounded by coral reefs, populated with rusting wrecks visible above water.

Panata Island — Means “Oath“ and internationally known as “Lankiam Cay”. It has an area of 0.44 ha and is located about 7 nautical miles eastnortheast of Kota Island. At one time the island had a surface area of more than 5 ha, but strong waves and strong typhoons eventually washed out the sandy surface (beach) of the island leaving behind the calcarenite foundation that can be seen at low tide.

Parola Island — Means “Lighthouse” and Internationally known as “Northeast Cay”. It is the third largest of the Philippine-occupied islands, about 12.7 hectares. It is 1.75 miles (2.82 km) north of Vietnamese-occupied Southwest Cay, and they are visible from each other. It is located 28 miles (45 km) northwest of Pag-asa Island. Some of the cay’s outcrops are visible on its western side.

Patag Island — Literally means “Flat“ and internationally known as “Flat Island” It has an area of 0.57 hectares (5,700 sq. m), and is about 10 km (6 nautical miles) north of Philippine-occupied Lawak Island. It is an example of a cay. It changes its shape seasonally. The sand build up will depend largely on the direction of prevailing wind and waves. Presently, it takes the shape of an elongated one, three years ago it had a shape like that of a crescent moon, a nd years back it formed the shape of a letter “S”. It is barren of any vegetation.

Rizal Reef — Internationally known as “Commodore Reef”. It appears as two atolls joined by a reef. It is located west of Balabac, about 110 nautical miles and near the Malaysian border. It is a typical reef lying underwater and the existing structures and facilities in this area are manned by the AFP.

Headlines

Latest Reports

Tolentino sees WPS coral harvesting as a prelude to reclamation

Tolentino sees WPS coral harvesting as a prelude to reclamation

Sen. Francis “Tol” Tolentino believes there's something deeper in China's coral harvesting endeavors in Iroquios or Rozul Reef in the West Philippine Sea (WPS), saying that it might be a prelude to reclamation.   “May iba pang plano siguro po riyan, di lang ‘yong...

read more
‘Walang natira’: AFP suspects China behind massive coral harvesting in Rozul Reef

‘Walang natira’: AFP suspects China behind massive coral harvesting in Rozul Reef

Released / WESCOM MANILA, Philippines — The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) confirmed that the Rozul Reef — an area within West Philippine Sea where Chinese vessels were seen swarming — has been completely stripped off of its naturally occurring corals.  ...

read more
Heightened swarming activities of Chinese fishing vessels monitored in 3 WPS key areas

Heightened swarming activities of Chinese fishing vessels monitored in 3 WPS key areas

Chinese fishing vessels continue to swarm in three key areas in the West Philippine Sea, the Western Command (Wecom) has disclosed citing its recent aerial patrols. In a statement, the Wescom said the heightened presence of Chinese fishing vessels were noticed in...

read more
Tolentino sees WPS coral harvesting as a prelude to reclamation

Senate maritime panel told: ‘Greater West PH Sea’ sounds good, but int’l recognition unlikely

“Can Congress change the name of the West Philippine Sea to Greater West Philippine Sea?”  Senator Francis Tolentino raised this question on Thursday, September 14 as he broached the idea of renaming the West Philippine Sea (WPS) in a bid to strengthen the country’s...

read more
P100M worth of illegal fish catch, vessels seized by gov’t operatives in Lucena City

P100M worth of illegal fish catch, vessels seized by gov’t operatives in Lucena City

TWO purse seine vessels, paraphernalia, and fish harvest with an estimated market worth of more than Php 100 million were seized by Philippine law enforcement authorities today, 09 September 2023, off the coast of Tayabas Bay in Lucena City.   Coast Guard...

read more

Interagency Partners

show more