Teams from the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) and the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) on Monday had been welcomed again after putting in navigational buoys at 5 factors within the West Philippine Sea.
National Security Adviser Eduardo Año and PCG chief Admiral Artemio Abu led the arrival ceremony at PCG headquarters in Manila.
In operations performed from May 10 to 12, the groups positioned the 5 buoys to mark Philippine territory within the disputed sea, saying that they may function sovereign markers and as aids to navigational security for ships.
According to the PCG, 5 vessels—BRP Teresa Magbanua (MRRV-9701), BRP Malapascua (MRRV-4403), BRP Malabrigo (MRRV-4402), BRP Lapu-Lapu (MMOV-5001), and BRP Corregidor (AE-891)—introduced the groups to Patag Island, Balagtas Reef, Kota Island, Panata Island, and Julian Felipe Reef, the place they put in the buoys.
Members of the PCG and the BFAR are welcomed again on Monday, May 15, 2023 after putting in 5 navigational buoys marked with the Philippine flag within the West Philippine Sea. Photo: PCG
“It is important for us to mark our territory by solidifying these boundaries, announcing to the world the scope of our sovereignty. Of course, we cannot draw lines on water, but marine buoys are as close we can get to internationally recognized markers of our territory,” Abu mentioned on the ceremony.
The PCG has positioned 10 buoys to this point, and can set up one other six earlier than the tip of this 12 months. — BM, GMA Integrated News
Source: www.gmanetwork.com
