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Defense chief urges fishermen: Don't sail to Scarborough Shoal alone

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Bianca Dava, ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="This photo taken on June 7, 2014 shows fishing boats anchored at Ulugan Bay, near the mouth of the South China Sea, off Puerto Princesa on Palawan island. Ulugan Bay, with a coastline partly concealed by thick mangrove forests, is at the center of the Philippine military" s="" efforts="" to="" shore="" up="" the="" defense="" of="" contested="" South="" China="" Sea="" islands="" and="" waters.="" Ted="" AFP="" Photo="" src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2021/news/04/29/20160422-west-philippine-sea-afp-9926763.jpg"/><figcaption>This photo taken on June 7, 2014 shows fishing boats anchored at Ulugan Bay, near the mouth of the South China Sea, off Puerto Princesa on Palawan island. Ulugan Bay, with a coastline partly concealed by thick mangrove forests, is at the center of the Philippine military&#x27;s efforts to shore up the defense of contested South China Sea islands and waters. Ted Aljibe, AFP Photo/File</figcaption></figure></div>MANILA — Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. on Thursday advised fishermen to refrain from sailing to the West Philippine Sea alone, following another incident of alleged <a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/01/21/24/pinoy-fishermen-harassed-by-china-coast-guard-pcg-confirms">harassment</a> by the Chinese Coast Guard. “The best advice I can give is huwag magsosolo-solo ang maliliit na fishermen. A lot of times also, we have fishermen rescued at sea because nagsosolo, and &#x27;magnanimously&#x27; rescued by whomever, so there is strength in numbers,” Teodoro said during the Manila Overseas Press Club forum at the Fairmont Hotel Makati on Tuesday night.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/life/11/13/23/not-one-inch-exhibit-on-west-ph-sea-opens-in-qc-mall">&#x27;Not One Inch&#x27; exhibit on West Philippine Sea opens in QC mall</a></li></ul>Small vessels can catch up to 15 tons of fish in an average expedition, he noted. <ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/06/20/23/marcos-some-progress-made-on-fishing-talks-with-china">Marcos: ‘Some progress’ made on fishing talks with China</a></li></ul>Earlier this month, the China Coast Guard allegedly drove away fishermen from Zambales who were collecting seashells for food near the south entrance of Scarborough Shoal or Bajo de Masinloc. Teodoro condemned the incident.“We have contingency measures and long-term plans for the West Philippine Sea. However, for incident response, it is the NTF-WPS (National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea) that is the sole authority for answering such queries, particularly in Bajo de Masinloc,” the official said.“But it does not go to say that we do not condemn the act of China, which has no business in harassing Filipino fishermen,” he added.<div>DIPLOMATIC PROTESTS</div>Teodoro also pointed out the importance of filing a diplomatic protest every time China harasses Filipinos in the West Philippine Sea.“We need to do those protests so as not to acquiesce and we have several measures that we are doing on a sustainable basis and that we can manage,” he noted.Despite the latest incident, Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea Commodore Jay Tarriela on Monday encouraged Filipinos to continue fishing within the Bajo de Masinloc area.“Naniniwala tayo na ang yaman sa WPS ay para sa Pilipino,” he told reporters.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/06/17/23/more-fish-catch-in-west-ph-sea-if-no-chinese-incursions-bfar">More fish catch in West PH Sea if no Chinese incursions: BFAR</a></li></ul>Tarriela admitted there were no vessels of the PCG and Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources in the area when the harassment occurred on January 12.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/video/news/10/07/23/pag-asa-island-fisherfolk-decry-foreign-fishing-vessels-in-west-ph-sea">Pag-asa island fisherfolk decry foreign fishing vessels in West PH Sea</a></li></ul>“But we are now coordinating with the BFAR to make sure na itong ganitong lull time na nagkaroon ng vacuum of government forces will no longer happen,” he said.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/11/18/23/marcos-says-filipino-fishers-plight-raised-at-meeting-with-xi">Marcos says Filipino fishers&#x27; plight raised at meeting with Xi</a></li></ul>The 2016 arbitral ruling classified Bajo de Masinloc as a traditional fishing ground for fishermen from the Philippines, China and Taiwan.China refuses to recognize the ruling.

According to the Defense chief, small vessels can yield up to 15 tons of catch in an average fishing expedition.

Defense chief urges fishermen: Don't sail to Scarborough Shoal alone

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Defense chief urges fishermen: Don't sail to Scarborough Shoal alone

Bianca Dava,

ABS-CBN News

Published January 25, 2024 03:18 PM PHT

Read More:

South China Sea

West Philippine Sea

Scarborough Shoal

Bajo de Masinloc

fishermen

China Coast Guard

Zambales

harassment

Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr

Gibo

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