Pieces of trash with Chinese markings along the coastline of Pag-asa Island in the West Philippine Sea. Photos courtesy of Malou Vales, Pag-asa Island Coordinator

PAG-ASA ISLAND – Pieces of trash with Chinese markings have piled up along the coastline of Pag-asa Island in the West Philippine Sea, with an expert saying this is harmful to marine life in the island.

Several bottles and cartons of beverage were washed ashore on the island’s beach, when local and international news teams visited there on Thursday. 

This, as at least 12 maritime militia vessels and a China Coast Guard ship remained in the vicinity of Pag-asa, with a distance of 4 nautical miles.

READ: Chinese missile ship chases civilian vessel in West PH Sea

Marilou Vales, Pag-asa Island’s coordinator, said they conduct coastal cleanups twice a month due to the situation. 

In its most recent cleanup this September alone, she said, residents gathered 36 sacks of trash during their two-hour event, most of which may have come from the Chinese vessels. 

“Mostly talaga basura ng China. Yung iba hindi ko alam kasi hindi namin mabasa sir,” said Vales. 

“Hindi naman siguro nakapagtataka kasi nakikita naman din natin na may mga vessels sila diyan. Siguro, tinatapon nila ang basura. So dito talaga sa coastal natin dito sa isla,” she added. 

This already affected the island’s environmental protection as they continue to strive for cleanliness and proper waste segregation. 

“Wala tayong magawa kundi mag-ano na lang ng mga programa para matugunan itong mga problema,” she added. 

Coastal trash poses harm to the life of corals around the island, said Prof. Jonathan Anticamara, a marine scientist from the University of the Philippines Diliman. 

Anticamara in August this year revealed that only five to ten percent of corals in Pag-asa Island are still alive due to coral bleaching, climate change, and other human-made hazards, spelling danger to food security in parts of the region.

READ: Around 90-95 percent of corals in Pag-asa Island dead - UP scientist

READ: More scientific surveys needed to determine reason of dumped crushed corals in Pag-asa cays: expert

“Ibig sabihin ngayon, yung management ng waste na ‘di dapat napupunta sa dagat ay hindi nasusundan… Tingin ko the fact na nakita natin na maraming Chinese character na mga basura na napunta sa isla natin, tingin ko hinahagis lang nila yung basura,” Anticamara told ABS-CBN News in a video interview. 

“Mas lalong masisira ang karagatan natin kasi natatambakan yung ilalim ng dagat, mga corals, mga dagdag na basura na dapat na-prevent. Dagdag siya sa stress sa ilalim ng dagat,” he added. 

“Paano naman mapunta ang mga Chinese na character diyan kung hindi galing sa mga barko?” he said. 

The expert urged the government to monitor the Chinese vessels’ possible sewage or other wastes, noting their overdue presence in the area.

Sewage has a “huge effect” on coral reefs and fish, as these are sensitive. 

“Napakadami ng militia vessels, napakarami ng Chinese vessels at diyan lang sila nakapamalagi. Yung mga militia vessels in particular, parang hindi sila gaano gumagalaw sa umaga, hindi rin alam kung paano ang galaw sa gabi pero usually naka-station lang sila diyan for the longest time,” he said. 

“Kailangan ma-find out, kailangan ma-test kung may mga human waste product nga ba sa West Philippine Sea ngayon na most likely galing sa mga barko. Wala naman na halos settlements sa isla ng West Philippine Sea except sa Pag-asa,” he said. 

ABS-CBN News already reached out to the Chinese Embassy for comment, but it only acknowledged our message as of this story’s posting. 

READ: Teachers in Pag-asa Island hope for more classrooms, personnel

SANDY CAYS IN HASA-HASA SHOAL 

Meanwhile, the two sandy cays in Hasa-Hasa Shoal (Half-Moon Shoal) were shown to have crushed corals – a similar phenomenon to the three sandy cays in Pag-asa Island. 

Footage from the ABS-CBN News team showed the area was full of crushed, white corals during the fisheries bureau’s maritime patrol in the area on Friday afternoon. 

One sandy cay had crushed corals as tall as 5 meters.

While the situation was similar, Anticamara said more studies must be conducted in the area and intensified monitoring should be conducted in the West Philippine Sea’s maritime features. 

READ: BFAR conducts aerial survey of Subi Reef, maritime patrol in Sandy Cays

“Mukhang napaka-distinct ng mga coral na napakaputi na walang lumot. So ayun, parang sabi ko, hindi natin ma-eliminate yung possibility na natural ‘yan. Kaso wala rin tayong evidence – hindi rin natin ma-eliminate yung possibility na tinambak ‘yan. Yan ang pinakamalaking problema natin ngayon,” he said. 

“Ang tingin ko talaga, kailangan natin manmanan, kailangan natin i-monitor. Kasi ambilis ng paglaki. Posible talaga na nasira yun corals, nagkawasak-wasak sila and nagtipon sila in a very short period of time or posible rin ay nadagdagan sila,” he said. 

Government, the expert said, should invest in satellite monitoring that could detect activities from Chinese vessels in the country’s maritime features. 

“Sila lang naman ang pagsusupetsahan natin. Kunyari, kung may pagtatambak diyan, sila lang – sino pa ba ang ibang magtambak? Ang barko natin isa lang naman. Coast Guard lang na nagbabantay talaga. Magtatambak ba ang Coast Guard natin?” he said. 

Anticamara earlier explained that crushed and dead corals from below could be carried upwards through a storm or strong waves therefore creating a small space of dry land.

It was also possible that the rate of corals dying is already fast.

The expert last month said he and his team were only able to do scientific surveys in the Pag-asa cays only once this year. They were harassed by a Chinese helicopter when they were conducting the study in March. 

Meanwhile, they were able to do a two-day scientific mission with the PCG in Escoda Shoal June this year, where findings revealed extensive coral bleaching in the area. Nearly a hundred percent of corals in Escoda, he had said, are dead or dying.

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