The Philippine government has intensified its monitoring and transparency operations in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) amid growing concerns that Beijing’s recent activities at Bajo de Masinloc (Scarborough Shoal) may be a prelude to large-scale land reclamation.
Maritime experts and government officials fear the maneuvers mimic China’s past strategy of turning disputed reefs into militarized artificial islands.
Rear Admiral Jay Tarriela, the Philippine Coast Guard’s (PCG) spokesperson for the WPS, confirmed that Chinese vessels and a mobile floating platform remain stationed inside the shoal.
While Manila and international observers raise alarms, Beijing has defended the operations as legitimate oceanographic studies.
”For the Chinese government, what they are doing in Bajo de Masinloc right now is legitimate marine scientific research,” Tarriela noted during a media forum in Quezon City.
The shoal is located 190 nautical miles from Zambales—firmly within the Philippines’ 200-nautical-mile exclusive economic zone (EEZ)—and roughly 500 nautical miles from China’s Hainan province.
According to Tarriela, the floating platform was recently moved to the northern section of the shoal, equipped with newly installed buoys and antenna-like structures. In response, Manila has increased its maritime domain awareness flights and deployed PCG vessels to challenge the Chinese research ships.
Legal expert Jay Batongbacal warned that China’s scientific framing is a historically documented precursor to permanent occupation, pointing to the transformation of Fiery Cross Reef and Mischief Reef from basic civilian shelters into major military bases.
”Nakakapag-raise pa ito lalo ng suspicion na inumpisahan na nila ang proseso para gumawa ng artificial island sa Scarborough,” Batongbacal explained.
Echoing the warning, retired Rear Admiral Rommel Ong, a professor at the Ateneo School of Government, suggested that Beijing’s overt deployment of survey equipment indicates it no longer views Philippine warnings as an effective deterrent.
”Obviously ramdam nila na ang red line has diminished kaya ginawa nila itong actual na pagdeploy ng survey equipment sa loob ng Panatag Shoal,” Ong observed. He warned that if the Philippines fails to assert itself, the situation could worsen, adding, “Kung hindi tayo magmamatigas, doon tayo patungo sa worst-case scenario na tatayuan na ito ng artificial island.”
To counter Beijing’s maneuvers, the National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea is utilizing a public transparency campaign to bring global attention to the area. Tarriela emphasized that exposing these actions aims to disrupt Beijing’s long-term geopolitical goals and prevent the normalization of its presence.
Meanwhile, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. maintains a firm stance, asserting that the Philippines will not allow Bajo de Masinloc to be converted into an artificial island.