Cold storage facilities eyed for Filipino fishers in West Philippine Sea — AFP

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) said Friday the government is looking into establishing cold storage facilities for Filipino fishermen in the West Philippine Sea (WPS).

“We really go to these areas and look at their situation and kung paano po natin sila matutulungan. We have also reached out to the Department of Agriculture,” AFP spokesperson Colonel Francel Margareth Padilla said at the Kapihan sa Manila Hotel forum.

(We really go to these areas and look at their situation and how we can help them. We have also reached out to the Department of Agriculture.)

“Tinitingnan natin yung possibility ng cold storage facilities to be placed in salient points. So ang focus po natin diyan is patuloy po na ma-enjoy ng ating mga kababayan ang mga resources na nararapat po para sa kanila at para sa ating lahat,” he added.

(We are looking at the possibility of cold storage facilities to be placed in salient points. So our focus here is to let our countrymen enjoy what they deserve.)

AFP spokesperson for WPS Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad said the Philippines continues to monitor developments in the area amid concerns over China’s activities.

Trinidad said authorities have not monitored any unusual reclamation activity so far but pointed out the need for “persistent presence” and maritime patrols to detect any possible developments early.

“It will not happen overnight. Malalaman naman natin kapag may ganoong actions (We will know if there are such actions). Secondly, there are different approaches in the toolbox of government. The military is only one approach, he said.

“There are other instruments which are not under my purview. We have law enforcement, we have the diplomatic tool, we have the socioeconomic tool et cetera,” he added.

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 News