PCG: 10 buoys installed in West Philippine Sea accounted for

MANILA, Philippines — All 10 navigational buoys installed by the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) are accounted for.

After days of speculation, the PCG yesterday said there are no missing navigational buoys in the WPS.

“The PCG’s 10 buoys, which were dropped in the West Philippines Sea, remain in their designated locations,” the PCG said.

It earlier reported that two of the 10 buoys could not be detected, particularly those installed near Balagtas and Julian Felipe Reefs.

Since last year, the PCG Task Force Kaligtasan sa Karagatan has installed a total of 10

navigational buoys in the WPS.

One buoy had been installed near Likas Island, Lawak Island, Parola Island, Patag Island, Balagtas Reef, Kota Island, Panata Island, Juan Felipe Reef, and two buoys were installed near Pag-asa Island.

The 10 navigational yellow buoys that bear the markings of the Philippine flag do not only serve as an aid to navigation to fishermen and mariners to steer them away from shallow water, but also serve as sovereign markers.

Earlier, bad weather forced on hold the PCG plan to deploy a vessel to check on the two navigational buoys that were reported as unaccounted for.

A Coast Guard official who requested anonymity said then that, “the plan is to deploy a ship, we just do not know when. It will depend on the weather condition.”

The poor weather condition in the WPS over the weekend has also prevented them from sending their plane to check on the status of the two buoys that were installed at the Balagtas and Julian Felipe Reefs.