Philippines mulls building fishers’ shelter in Ayungin Shoal -AFP

The government is considering building a shelter for fisherfolk - a permanent structure - in the West Philippine Sea's (WPS') Ayungin Shoal, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) said on Tuesday.

“Siguro po pagplaplanuhan pa iyan kasi (Maybe it is still being planned because) it should be an inter-agency program,” said AFP Spokesperson Colonel Medel Aguilar at a Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon public briefing.

“Ang name-mention pong structure is para siyang shelter para sa mga (It was mentioned that it would be like a shelter for) fisherfolk and therefore it will involve different government agencies,” he added.

According to Aguilar, the AFP is ready to perform its part in the implementation of the project.

On December 12, former Supreme Court Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio said the Philippines should build a structure on the Ayungin Shoal following the latest attacks against Filipino vessels in the WPS.

“We will put up a civilian structure at the Ayungin Shoal. For example, magtayo tayo ng [let's put up a] lighthouse, or marine scientific research center. Kasi Ayungin Shoal is part of our exclusive economic zone (EEZ), tayo lang ang pwedeng magtayo ng struktura doon exclusively,” said Carpio.

(Ayungin Shoal is part of our exclusive economic zone (EEZ). We are exclusively the only ones who can put up a structure there.)

“Dapat 'yun ang gawin natin. Instead of sending military supplies, we will be sending later on civilian supplies. Iko-convert natin 'yung activity from military to civilian," he added.

(That's what we should do. Instead of sending military supplies, we will be sending civilian supplies later. We will convert the activity from military to civilian.)

In August, Senator Francis Escudero said he is eyeing to propose an allocation of at least P100 million in the 2024 national budget for the construction of a lodging facility in the Ayungin Shoal. — DVM, GMA Integrated News