Filipino fishers won't recognize China's 'nature reserve' in Bajo de Masinloc — PAMALAKAYA

Fishers’ group Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (PAMALAKAYA) on Wednesday said it will not acknowledge China’s so-called nature reserve in Bajo de Masinloc in the West Philippine Sea.

“There is no foreign-managed nature reserve in Panatag Shoal that we know of,” PAMALAKAYA said in a statement.

“Akin to the 9-dash line assumption, Beijing’s so-called environmental reserve means nothing for the Filipino fishers who have all the legal, political, and historical rights over the Panatag Shoal,” it added.

Bajo de Masiloc, also called Panatag Shoal or Scarborough Shoal, is located 124 nautical miles off Masinloc, Zambales, and is considered within the Philippines’ 200-nautical-mile exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

PAMALAKAYA national chairperson Fernando Hicap expressed opposition to China’s plan after Chinese vessels blocked Philippine vessels from the shoal on Monday.

“Hindi namin kailanman kikilalanin ang itinatag na nature reserve ng China sa aming teritoryal na pangisdaan. Walang kredibilidad ang China na magtakda ng protektadong lugar sa dagat na sila rin mismo ang sumisira sa pamamagitan ng malawakang reklamasyon at illegal poaching,” he said.

(We will never recognize China's nature reserve in our territorial fisheries. China has no credibility to designate a protected area in the sea that they themselves are destroying through widespread reclamation and illegal poaching.)

Dangerous maneuvers

Chinese vessels, including warships, blocked and performed dangerous maneuvers against Philippine ships during the distribution of subsidies to Filipino fishers near Bajo de Masinloc and Escoda Shoal.

Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) spokesperson for West Philippine Sea Commodore Jay Tarriela said ships from the PCG as well as the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources were deployed for the mission.

Tarriela noted that for the first time, the PCG documented a CCG radio challenge claiming that the presence of Philippine fishing boats could damage their "environmental reserve."

On September 10, China announced the creation of a national nature reserve in Bajo de Masinloc.

“Lubhang nakakaalarma ang pagtatatag nitong nature reserve na posibleng magamit para higit na harangan ang mga Pilipinong mangingisda sa kanilang pangisdaan,” Hicap said.

(The establishment of this nature reserve is very alarming and could potentially be used to further restrict Filipino fishermen from fishing.)

“Panawagan namin sa pamahalaan ng China na igalang ang karapatan ng mga Pilipinong mangingisda sa aming tradisyunal na pangisdaan, at tigilan na ang mga mapanirang aktibidad tulad ng reklamasyon at iba pang porma ng iligal na pangingisda,” he added.

(We call on the Chinese government to respect the rights of Filipino fishermen to our traditional fishing grounds, and to stop destructive activities such as reclamation and other forms of illegal fishing.)

GMA News Online has reached out to the Chinese Embassy in Manila for a statement on the matter but it has yet to respond as of posting time.

Permanent Court of Arbitration

Tensions continue as Beijing claims almost all of the South China Sea, a conduit for more than $3 trillion of annual shipborne commerce, including parts claimed by the Philippines, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Brunei.

Parts of the South China Sea that fall within Philippine territory have been renamed by the government as West Philippine Sea to reinforce the country’s claim.

The West Philippine Sea refers to the maritime areas on the western side of the Philippine archipelago including Luzon Sea and the waters around, within and adjacent to the Kalayaan Island Group and Bajo de Masinloc.

In 2016, the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague ruled in favor of the Philippines over China's claims in the South China Sea, saying that it had "no legal basis."

China has refused to recognize the decision. — RSJ, GMA Integrated News