The United States said Friday it will deploy coast guard patrol ships in the western Pacific to counter “destabilizing and malign” activities by China in disputed fishing grounds of the South China Sea.

The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crimes has donated 79,360 biohazard facemasks and other supplies for anti-COVID-19 frontliners in the Bangsamoro regional police.

Dozens of Filipino seafarers are stranded in Chinese waters while awaiting repatriation, Philippine Ambassador to China Jose Santiago Sta Romana said Saturday. 

Vice President Leni Robredo is teaming up with the US Agency for International Development and an education non-profit to give free technical-vocational skills and employability training to over 1,000 unemployed and out-of-school Filipino youth. 

The United States said Friday it will deploy Coast Guard patrol ships in the western Pacific to counter "destabilizing and malign" activities by China in disputed fishing grounds of the South China Sea.