The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) reported Tuesday that nearly 11,000 foreign vessels entered the country’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) last month, raising serious concerns on maritime security.
AFP spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea (WPS) Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad said the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) managed to drive some of the vessels away, but noted they have repeatedly passed through the archipelagic waters.
“For the month of July 2025, there were more than 12,000 different vessels monitored passing within our archipelago… These met responses from the Coast Guard. They entered within our EEZ, left… They keep coming back,” Trinidad said.
Based on the records of the Philippine Navy, there were 10,782 foreign vessels and 2,214 local ships that traversed our archipelagic waters from July 1 to 31, 2025, bringing the total to 12,996.
Among the ships sighted was a “highly militarized” China Coast Guard (CCG) vessel with bow number CCG-5303, according to SeaLight Director Ray Powell. This ship measures 134 meters long and was built on a navy frigate’s hull while carrying a 76-millimeter gun.
“It epitomizes China’s militarization of maritime law enforcement—naval firepower under coast guard authority,” said Powell, program head of Stanford University’s Gordian Knot Center for National Security Innovation, on his X (formerly Twitter) account.
The PCG expressed alarm over the “significant increase” of CCG vessels monitored in July. Trinidad noted it was difficult to determine the reason behind the ships’ presence within the Philippines’ EEZ.
“We can’t say if they’re biding their time, or if they’re just passing by, or if they’re conducting illegal research. What’s important is that we are observing, and if we detect anything, we immediately respond to them,” the Navy official said.
Meanwhile, the PCG deployed BRP Teresa Magbanua to conduct a maritime law enforcement patrol after detecting CCG-5303 off the coast of Pangasinan on Monday, August 4, 2025.
According to PCG Spokesperson for WPS Commodore Jay Tarriela, the foreign vessel was spotted approximately 39 nautical miles from Pangasinan through Canada’s Dark Vessel Detection program, prompting a rapid response from the Philippines.
The BRP Teresa Magbanua issued radio challenges against the foreign vessel, asserting that it had no legal authority to operate within the Philippine EEZ. In response, the Chinese side claimed the area fell under its jurisdiction, referring to Huangyan Island and surrounding waters.
The PCG firmly reiterated the Philippines’ sovereign rights over the area, citing the Philippine Maritime Zones Act, the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), and the 2016 Arbitral Award, which invalidated China’s expansive claims in the South China Sea, according to Tarriela.
Shortly after the exchange, another Chinese vessel (CCG-4203) was observed moving toward the area.
“The Philippine Coast Guard will continue to patrol the area diligently, ensuring the security and integrity of our maritime jurisdiction,” Tarriela added.
The WPS 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.
Editor’s Note: This story has been updated to reflect more accurate details.
