PCG, BFAR teams welcomed back after installing buoys in West Philippine Sea

Teams from the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) and the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) on Monday were welcomed back after installing navigational buoys at five points in 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 conducted from May 10 to 12, the teams placed the five buoys to mark Philippine territory in the disputed sea, saying that they will serve as sovereign markers and as aids to navigational safety for ships.

According to the PCG, five vessels—BRP Teresa Magbanua (MRRV-9701), BRP Malapascua (MRRV-4403), BRP Malabrigo (MRRV-4402), BRP Lapu-Lapu (MMOV-5001), and BRP Corregidor (AE-891)—brought the teams to Patag Island, Balagtas Reef, Kota Island, Panata Island, and Julian Felipe Reef, where they installed the buoys.

Members of the PCG and the BFAR are welcomed back on Monday, May 15, 2023 after installing five navigational buoys marked with the Philippine flag in 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 said at the ceremony.

The PCG has placed 10 buoys to date, and will install another six before the end of this year. — BM, GMA Integrated News