US Navy Rescues Filipino Fishermen in the South China Sea
The year opened with a humanitarian rescue at sea as a United States Navy supply ship, USNS Cesar Chavez, located and saved three Filipino fishermen who had been adrift in the South China Sea after their vessel suffered engine failure in late December. The men were found around 50 nautical miles west of Bolinao, Pangasinan and had survived on rationed food and water for several days before being spotted by U.S. Navy watch standers. After being brought aboard for medical evaluation, all three were confirmed in good health and later transferred to Philippine authorities. The Philippine Coast Guard expressed appreciation to the U.S. Navy for the timely assistance, underscoring cooperation in maritime safety and humanitarian efforts. Navy
Philippines Reaffirms Stance Against Assertive China
Amid ongoing maritime tensions, the Philippines reiterated its firm position against China’s assertive actions in the West Philippine Sea. Government officials highlighted continued presence and harassment by Chinese vessels in areas including Scarborough Shoal (Panatag or Bajo de Masinloc) and other features within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone. Incidents in 2025 involving water cannon attacks and dangerous maneuvers by China Coast Guard and maritime militia vessels have drawn repeated protests from Manila. Despite these challenges, Philippine maritime agencies and policymakers insist on upholding sovereign rights based on the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and the 2016 arbitral ruling, which invalidated excessive maritime claims by China. Philstar.com
Senator Pangilinan Highlights Philippine Maritime Claim in Diplomatic Exchange
In a notable diplomatic exchange, Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan publicly thanked the Chinese Embassy in Manila for acknowledging that the Philippines has a rightful claim in the West Philippine Sea. Pangilinan emphasized that Manila respects the One China Policy but insisted that, in turn, China must also respect the Philippines’ 500,000-square-kilometer exclusive economic zone under UNCLOS. He reiterated that while overlapping claims exist, the Philippine EEZ must be upheld based on international law and the 2016 Hague arbitral award. The Chinese Embassy responded by asserting that both nations have overlapping maritime claims, urging cooperative management and negotiation rather than unilateral accusations. ABS-CBN