A Chinese vessel’s grounding incident in June has left a trail of destruction in Philippine waters, damaging at least 464 square meters of coral reef near Pag-asa Island, scientists from the Palawan Council for Sustainable Development (PCSD) confirmed on Monday.
The Chinese maritime militia vessel ran aground on June 7 and freed itself after more than an hour. It is believed to have abandoned a parachute anchor at Pag-asa Reef 1 — about 2.6 kilometers east of Pag-asa Island — which lies well within the Philippines’ territorial sea.
PCSD researchers later located the parachute anchor submerged at around 9 meters deep, resting directly on live corals. The equipment, commonly used to stabilize vessels in open seas, appears to have caused significant harm to the reef during and after its deployment.
“‘Yong damages po na nakita namin ay broken fragments po ng mga branch corals and chip of fragments ng mga massive corals… ’yong mga parang bilog-bilog na bato,” explained Mark Ace Dela Cruz, head of PCSD’s Habitat Management System, in an ABS-CBN News report. He said both hard and soft corals were shattered due to the dragging motion of the anchor.
The council estimated that about 30 percent of the affected reef area sustained damage from the anchor or its line.
Dr. Benjamin Gonzales of PCSD’s Scientific Advisory Panel called for the immediate removal of the parachute anchor. He warned that its continued presence could further damage the ecosystem by blocking sunlight essential to coral survival and potentially releasing harmful microplastics into the water.
“The anchor parachute will continue to cover the corals, denying access to sunlight. Without sunlight, the coral reef will die,” Gonzales stressed.
Meanwhile, PCSD Executive Director Atty. Teodoro Jose Matta underscored the broader ecological impact of the damage, explaining that coral reefs are essential for marine biodiversity.
“You lose the coral reefs, you damage the coral reefs, you lose spawning capability, you lose shelter, and you lose part of the food chain,” Matta said. “Our other natural resources will diminish as well.”
The National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea (NTF-WPS) announced plans to coordinate with the Department of Foreign Affairs and the Department of Justice to seek P11.1 million in damages from China.
“The National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea expressed concern over the reported environmental damage caused by a Chinese vessel near Pag-asa Reef,” said Maj. Gen. Cornelio Valencia Jr., assistant director-general of the National Security Council.
According to Commodore Jay Tarriela, spokesperson for the Philippine Coast Guard in the West Philippine Sea, this is the first time a parachute anchor has been recovered in the disputed waters. He raised concerns over the use of such equipment.
“I’m not sure what is the specific reason why they changed from the traditional anchor to parachute anchor. This is very dangerous kasi naka-drag siya at nakaka-sira siya ng coral reef,” he warned.
Despite over a month having passed since the incident, Philippine divers have yet to retrieve the anchor due to the operation’s technical challenges and the specialized gear required.
