A small island Filipina challenges Beijing in the Southern Sea of ​​China

China claims sovereignty over almost the entire sea of ​​southern China, rich in oil and gas. The territorial claim is challenged by five of the region’s countries, but only Vietname and the Philippines dare to face Beijing. Pagasa’s small island is a banner of this resistance.

With only 37 hectares, the island of PAGASA – or “hope” – controlled by the Philippines, is little larger than enough to live. There is almost nothing there.

Around 300 inhabitants They live in a cluster of small wooden houses. They fish in the crystal clear turquoise waters and cultivate the vegetables they get in sandy soil.

But They are not alone in these waters disputed: rightly on the west, it is A Armadasays Jonathan Head, reporter of, who recently visited the small Philippine Island.

The ships of this armed are all Chinese, Navy, Coast Guard or the so -called maritime militia – there are at least 20, large reconverted fishing vessels for Keep Chinese dominance in this sea.

During the last 10 years, China has in the Southern Sea of ​​China, Taking submerged coral reefsbuilding large air bases on them and highlighting hundreds of ships to reinforce their claimOver all strategic sea routes running south from large exporting cities on the Chinese coast.

As tensions in the center of the southern china seaor Southern Sea of ​​China, have increased since Beijing has claimed that virtually the entire sea is part of its territorial waters.

The claim is vigorously contested For Vietnam, Philippines, Malaysia, Taiwan and Brunei, who vie with China to possess several islands in the region. It is believed that the huge area, which includes sea and islands, is Rich in oil and gas.

Few of the Southeast Asian countries that also claim islands in the same sea dare face China; Only Vietname and the Philippines They did it. You armies of both countries are much lower That in China, but they are keeping a handful of reefs and islands.

Pagasa – also known as Thitu and other names, as it is claimed by several other countries – it is the largest of these.

What makes it exceptional, however, is the civilian populationfound in a few islands in the Southern Sea of ​​China. From the point of view of the Philippines, that, and the fact that it pays is solid land, not a partially submerged Recife or a sandbar, strengthens your legal claims in the area.

“Pagasa is very important For us, ”he says Jonathan MalayaDeputy Director General of the National Security Council of the Philippines, to the BBC. “There is a landing track. Can sustain life – It has a resident Filipine community and fishermen living there.

“And given the size of the island, a of the few that did not need to be recovered From the sea, according to international law generates its own 12 nautical mile territorial sea. “Therefore, it is, in a way, a pillar for the Philippine presence“.

Arriving at Pagasa is a boat trip for two to three days From Palawan’s Philippine Island, or a one -hour plane trip, but both are at the mercy of the frequent bad weather.

Until they paved the track for two years, and to lengthen 1,300 m, only Small planes could land. Now they can bring large aircraft C130 Transport. Traveling in them is a little like walking on a bus at the end of the end.

Everything has to be brought from the continentSo our plane was full, from the ground to the ceiling, with mattresses, eggs, rice bags, some motorcycles and bags of luggage – not to mention many military, most of whom had to stand through the entire flight.

A lot has changed in recent years. There is a new hangar, large enough to house aircraft during storms. They are building a control tower and dredging a small port to allow larger boats to rear.

As Filipinas took Pagasa de Taiwan in 1971When the Taiwanese garrison abandoned her during a typhoon. It was formally Attached by the Philippines in 1978.

Later, the government began to encourage civilians to establish themselves there. But they need Support to survive In this remote piece of land. Families receive official donations of food, water and other groceries every month. Now they have Electricity and connectivity For mobile phones, but only four years ago.

Beyond governmental jobs, Fishing is the only viable form To earn life, and from the arrival of Chinese flotillas to this has become difficult.

The fisherman Larry Hugo He has been living on the island for 16 years and has registered the growing Chinese control of the area. Filmed the initial construction in Recife I went upabout 32 km from Pagasa, which eventually became a full -size military air base.

In 2021, it showed its small wooden boat almost to be Stackled by a Chinese coastal shipwhich blocked the way. The video made it a small celebrity; In addition to being a fisherman, he is now also creator of content, where he disseminates scenes of the island.

But the Chinese harassment forced him to fish in a smaller areacloser to home. “Their ships are huge compared to ours. Threaten usapproaching and touching his horns to move us away. Really scare us. So I no longer go to my old farther fisheries, ”says Hugo.

“Now I have to fish near the islandBut fish stocks are decreasing here, and it’s much harder to fill our tins as we used to do, ”laments the Philippine fisherman.

Realyn Limbo She has been a teacher on the island for 10 years and has seen the school grow from a small cabin to a complete school, teaching more than 100 students from kindergarten until 18.

“For me, this island is like a paradise“, Says Limbo.“ All our basic needs are met. AND pacific – Children can play basketball or go swim after school. We don’t need shopping centers or all this materialism. ”

PAGASA It’s really quiet. In the intense warmth of noon, most people sleep on networks or play music on their porches. Melania houseda village health worker packs a small baby to help him fall asleep.

“Our biggest challenge is when people, especially children, get sick“It says housed.“ If it is serious, we need Evacuá-Las for or Continent. I am not a registered nurse, so I cannot perform complicated medical tasks. But airplanes are not always available, and sometimes time is too agitated to travel.

“When this happens, We just have to take care of them the best we can“.

But housed also values ​​the tranquility of life on the island. “We are free from many stresses. We have received subsidized food and we can cultivate some of our own. In the big city, everything you do needs money“.

There are some new houses under construction, But there is not really space In Pagasa accommodate many more people. With few jobsyoung people usually leave the island as soon as the school ends.

Despite all of its sleepy charm and stunning beaches of white sand, has the aspect of a garrison communitykeeping the line against the overwhelming Chinese presence that is clearly visible right away.

Jonathan Malaya He says his government has been making a formal diplomatic protest every week to the Chinese embassy on the presence of his ships in what the Philippines consider the territorial waters of Pagasa.

This stance contrasts markedly with the previous administration of the President Rodrigo Duterte, who avoided clashes with China hoping to obtain more investment in the Philippines.

“I think we’ll win More respect for China If we keep our position and show that we can also play this game. But the problem of democracies like the Philippines is that the policies can change with new administrations ”DIZ MALAYA.

“China doesn’t have this problem“He concludes.