PCG, kinumpirma ang 'severe damage' sa Rozul reef sa West PH Sea
PCG, kinumpirma ang 'severe damage' sa Rozul reef sa West PH Sea
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00:00 We have here with us, also a news item, the assessment of the Philippine Coast Guard
00:06 regarding the damages of the marine environment in Rosul Reef and Escoda Shoal in the West Philippine Sea.
00:14 We will talk to the PCG spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea, Commodore Jay Tariella,
00:21 who is also in the news today.
00:24 Good afternoon and happy birthday to you, Commodore Tariella.
00:29 Thank you, Ms. Nina. Good afternoon to you, Usec Edu.
00:33 Okay, sir. In your monitoring and assessment of the Rosul Reef and Escoda Shoal,
00:40 can you please explain to us how much damage was caused to the marine environment?
00:47 Well, the initial assessment of the Philippine Coast Guard, with the video that we presented yesterday,
00:55 and that we published, we can see that the entire vicinity of the Escoda Shoal and Rosul Reef
01:03 is totally dead coral.
01:06 As I said in our press statement, we can see minimal or no signs of life here.
01:13 But one of the most puzzling things here on the part of the Philippine Coast Guard
01:18 is that if China, as we allege, is harvesting coral in these areas,
01:25 what is puzzling is that in the Escoda Shoal, the corals that they cleaned and cleaned
01:32 were dumped again.
01:34 So there, we can see in the video, on the right side, these are the cleaned and cleaned corals.
01:41 So it doesn't explain why they harvested and then dumped them again.
01:48 So what did they do to the corals that they took?
01:53 Someone said that they were making things or trinkets or jewelry or whatsoever,
02:00 and they were sold in a place in China.
02:03 What do you think they did to our coral reefs?
02:09 Well, Miss Niña, that's another possibility.
02:12 The reason why they are harvesting corals is because they are using it for their homes,
02:18 they are putting it in their jewelry.
02:21 But as I said, if they are harvesting and then in the Escoda Shoal,
02:27 they dumped the coral again, it doesn't answer the question
02:32 why they harvested and then at the same time dumped it in the ocean.
02:37 Is it intentional, Commodore?
02:40 What is it? Do you want to destroy it?
02:43 We have yet to, Miss Niña, to evaluate and ask the expertise of our marine scientists.
02:54 That's why the Philippine Coast Guard is coordinating with the UPMSI
02:58 to help us to evaluate what is the reason why the corals were killed in this vicinity
03:06 and then also to get a sample of the corals that they dumped.
03:12 Why did they dump it excessively?
03:15 What is the objective? Why did they dump it again in the Escoda Shoal?
03:20 Commodore, we know how sensitive this issue is, especially when it comes to our diplomatic relations.
03:29 So, a lot of people are asking, Commodore, do we have evidence to say that the Chinese Maritime Militia
03:36 is the reason for the destruction of the marine environment of the Rosol Reap and Escoda Shoal?
03:41 Just like with the statement of the Armed Forces of the Philippines Western Command, USEC EDU,
03:47 we don't have any clear proof to directly pinpoint the Chinese Maritime Militia
03:54 that they are the ones who are responsible for the destruction of our coral reefs.
03:59 But what is certain is that from August 9 to September 11,
04:04 we monitored the Chinese Maritime Militia vessels in this area.
04:08 They were there in that particular area and then right after they left,
04:13 that's the time we conducted underwater survey.
04:16 So in the past weeks, you were the only ones who were there when we went there and it was destroyed.
04:24 So that is circumstantial. But again, we still don't have enough direct evidence to directly pinpoint the Chinese Maritime Militia.
04:36 But some are saying that their presence might be one of the contributing factors
04:44 for the destruction of the coral reefs. We still don't know.
04:47 That's why, as I said, we are still going to coordinate with marine scientists,
04:53 those who really have science to understand what is happening in this particular shoal and reef.
05:00 Commodore, do we have any information on how long it has been in that area
05:07 and how the swarming of garbage has been the reason for the destruction of the coral reefs?
05:14 Well, let me clarify. We still don't know whether the waste that were dumped is the main reason why the coral reefs were destroyed.
05:22 But the monitoring of the coast guard of the Chinese Maritime Militia has been happening for almost months already.
05:30 It was last April that we started, together with the Armed Forces of the Philippines,
05:35 to monitor the swarming of the Chinese Maritime Militia here.
05:38 It is important to note that the Iroquois Reef or the Rizal Reef that we are saying is actually the southern part of the Reed Bank.
05:48 So the coast guard is monitoring this knowing for a fact that the Iroquois Reef or the Rizal Reef is not just a fishing ground for our fishermen,
05:59 but they are also service contracts that our colleagues in the Department of Energy know about.
06:05 This is the coast of the West Philippine Sea.
06:09 Sir, we have a question from our media colleague, Joseph Morong of GMA News.
06:20 Is there any estuary in the West Philippine Sea?
06:25 On the part of the Philippine Coast Guard, we still don't have that estimate.
06:29 As I said, we just presented the report to the National Task Force West Philippine Sea.
06:35 I think concerned agencies who have more mandates and knowledge about this are more subject matter experts to provide the estimate,
06:45 particularly the Department of Environmental and Natural Resources, UPMSI, and perhaps Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources.
06:53 Obviously, this will have an effect on the fisheries of the Filipinos.
06:58 So as far as the assessment of the damage to our environment,
07:04 we're still collaborating with these government agencies for us to come up with that cost estimate.
07:11 So what will be the role of the Philippine Coast Guard to further strengthen the surveillance of the Rizal Reef and Escoda Shoal?
07:21 And what will be the action of the government in dealing with these damages?
07:26 As we speak right now, the Commandant of the Philippine Coast Guard, Admiral Artemio Agu,
07:33 has deployed two Coast Guard vessels to conduct another maritime patrol in these two areas
07:42 and also to follow up our underwater survey
07:47 for us to have a much more clear understanding of the extent of the damage.
07:53 Second, regarding your question, what are we going to do to evaluate these damages
08:04 and the steps that we will take to answer whoever we will answer.
08:10 For the Philippine Coast Guard, we submitted a report to the National Task Force West Philippine Sea.
08:14 And of course, the Department of Justice, the Department of Foreign Affairs are part of this task force.
08:20 So whatever legal and diplomatic actions that are needed,
08:24 I know for a fact that our agencies will take responsibility regarding this incident.
08:34 Commodore, what is your reaction to Senator Francis Tolentino's statement
08:40 that China is doing something deeper or planning to do something here in the Russell Reef
08:45 aside from extracting corals and crushing them?
08:48 For the statement of Senator Tolentino, saying that there is a prelude of island reclamation in these particular two areas,
09:02 for the Coast Guard, our comment is that we don't want to speculate.
09:06 We believe that we need the expertise of our marine scientists to really explain what is happening,
09:14 why these cleaned and processed corals are dumped once again in Eskwadasyon.
09:20 Commodore, we have a question from Nestor Corrales of the Philippine Daily Inquirer.
09:27 His question is, what is the President's reaction over the alleged destruction of corals in the West Philippine Sea by China?
09:35 What is his order to PCG and concerned government agencies over this alarming incident?
09:41 And will he convene the National Task Force West Philippine Sea?
09:46 Well, to be honest with you, Ms. Niña, as far as the Coast Guard is concerned,
09:52 we just forwarded a report to the National Task Force West Philippine Sea,
09:56 of course chaired by the National Security Advisor, General Eduardo Año,
10:01 and he has the full responsibility to brief the President about this situation.
10:06 So I don't have any response to the question how the President responded,
10:14 because as I said, it's the chairman of the NTFWPS who has direct personal communication to the President
10:22 for him to be briefed about this incident.
10:26 Okay, so sir, please send a message to our fellow Filipinos,
10:31 and what are the next steps of PCG in continuing to guard the territory of the Philippines?
10:37 Our Filipino people have high hopes for our Philippine Coast Guard.
10:43 Despite our limited resources, we're going to strategically deploy our vessels
10:48 to maintain our presence in the West Philippine Sea.
10:51 The Philippine Coast Guard, the Armed Forces of the Philippines,
10:55 and the two agencies that are helping us to maintain our sovereignty and sovereign rights
11:00 and effectively have a presence for maritime jurisdiction in the West Philippine Sea.
11:05 In addition to these incidents that require collaboration,
11:11 the Philippine Coast Guard, led by our Commander, Admiral Artemio Abu,
11:18 is collaborating and cooperating with our relevant government agencies,
11:24 the Department of Foreign Affairs, DNR, Department of Justice, and of course the Department of National Defense
11:30 to have a much more whole-of-nation approach to understand
11:34 and to prepare for whatever situation is about to unfold as we try to evaluate
11:41 what is happening in these two areas in the West Philippine Sea.
11:45 We have the honor to have Commodore J. Tariella,
11:49 the spokesperson of the Philippine Coast Guard for the West Philippine Sea.
11:52 Thank you very much, Commodore.
11:54 Thank you very much, sir.
11:56 Commodore.
11:57 >> [FOREIGN LANGUAGE]
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