Strong waves prevent delivery of goods to troops in Spratlys

MANILA, Philippines - For most troops on forward deployment in the Spratlys archipelago, it would be a lonely Christmas.

A Navy supply ship sent to deliver their Christmas goodies, including Noche Buena and Media Noche packages, was forced back to Puerto Princesa City by severe sea conditions prevailing over the West Philippine Sea.

“Big waves forced the Navy boat to abort its Christmas and New Year’s run and returned to Puerto Princesa last Saturday,” Kalayaan Mayor Eugenio Bito-onon Jr. said.

He added the Navy ship originally scheduled to dock at Pag-Asa Island was only able to reach troops stationed at Lawak Island and Rizal Reef.

Aside from Lawak and Rizal Reef, troops are also stationed and manning forward military outposts in the islands of Likas, Parola, Kota, Patag, Panata, Pag-Asa and Ayungin Reef.

All these military outposts, except for Pag-Asa Island that has an airfield, could only be reached by sea because these are underdeveloped.

In the case of Ayungin Shoal, delivery of provisions was carried out precisely so as not to alarm the Chinese naval blockade around the area.

China, of all the Spratlys claimant countries, is pushing aggressively its maritime claim to almost the entire South China Sea by deploying naval gunboats, coast guard vessels and other civilian vessels in the region.

Troops deployed in these outposts are usually rotated every three months and those whose assignments are timed during Christmas are showered with gifts and other perks in acknowledgment of their sacrifices.

“It also happened last year. The supply ship was not able to reach us because of the big waves. But we still have to celebrate Christmas in our own little way,” Bito-onon said, adding he allowed the slaughter of livestock and poultry in the island for the celebration of Christmas Eve.

He said that military leadership of the Western Command (Wescom), knowing full  well the troops’ morale out there, would be airdropping the Christmas goodies.

In the case of Pag-Asa Island, an Air Force plane has delivered Christmas provisions and other supplies to the area needed by around 90 civilian residents in time for their holiday celebration yesterday.

The number of residents in the island vary from time to time as during holidays, some of the families return to mainland Palawan to celebrate Christmas with relatives.

Bito-onon said are there are 96 islanders, 32 of them children, out of the more than 200 civilians officially registered as residents left in the island.

On the other hand, the government troops deployed in Mindoro played Santa Claus by distributing Noche Buena packages to several families, even those with known links to and sympathizers of the communist New People’s Army.