A Philippine government mission to support local fishermen near Scarborough (Panatag) Shoal on Monday was met by what a West Philippine Sea monitor described as a “very heavy” presence of Chinese ships.
SeaLight director Ray Powell said in a post on X that the operation involved government fish carrier M/V Mamalakaya, escorted by the Philippine Coast Guard’s BRP Teresa Magbanua and the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources vessel BRP Datu Romapanet. The flotilla was reportedly confronted by at least seven China Coast Guard vessels and 14 maritime militia ships enforcing Beijing’s 25-30 nautical-mile “exclusion zone” around the shoal.
The maritime “Kadiwa” program—launched in May—aims to buy fishermen’s catch directly and provide fuel subsidies. The MV Mamalakaya made its first trip near Scarborough Shoal earlier this year to engage with Filipino fishermen.
China’s exclusion zone enforcement runs counter to the 2016 arbitral ruling, which declared the area a traditional fishing ground for the Philippines, China, and Vietnam. Despite this, Beijing has maintained effective control of the shoal since a 2012 standoff with Manila, with Chinese vessels frequently blocking access to Filipino boats.
