Philippini Island, refuting Beijing in the South China Sea

Only 37 hectares controlled by the Philippines Pagasa Island-or Hope-is it big enough to live. There is almost nothing there.

The 300 inhabitants live in the cluster of small, wooden houses. They catch fish in clear, turquoise waters and grow whatever vegetables can in the sandy land.

But they are not alone in these controversial waters: right on the shore, to the west, there is an armada of ships.

All these are Chinese, from the Navy, Coast Guard, or the so-called Maritime Militia, fishing ships, reconciled to maintain the Chinese dominance of this sea. When our plane approached the island, we counted at least 20.

Over the last 10 years, China has been expanding its presence in the South China Sea, has taken over submerged coral reefs, has built three large air bases on them, and has hundreds of ships to strengthen its claim for almost all strategic marine lanes that move south of the large export cities on the Chinese coast.

Few of the countries of Southeast Asia, which also claim islands in the same sea, have dared to return against China; Only Vietnam and the Philippines did. The wars of both countries are much smaller than those of China, but they are held on a handful of reefs and islands.

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

What makes it exceptional is the civilian population found on several islands in the South China Sea. From the point of view of the Philippines, this and the fact that Pagasa is a solid land, not partially submerged reef or Sandy Cay, enhances its legal claims in the area.

“Pagasa is very important to us,” says Jonathan Malaya, Assistant CEO of the Philippine National Security Council, “BBC told.

“There is a track. It can support life – there is a resident of the Philippine community and the fishermen who live there.

“And given the size of the island, one of the little one who did not need a restoration from the sea, according to international law, he generates his own territorial sea of ​​12 nautical miles.

“So in a sense is a Lynch for the Philippine presence.”

Reaching Pagasa is a boat trip from two to three days from the island of Filipini Palawan or one -hour plane, but both are at the mercy of frequent turbulent weather.

Until they floated on the track two years ago and extended it to 1300 m (4 600 feet), only small planes can land. Now they can bring large C130 transport planes. Traveling in them, as we did, is a bit like riding a bus per peak.

Everything has to be brought from the continental part, which is why our aircraft was packed, from floor to ceiling, with mattresses, eggs, rice bags, several motorcycles and piles of luggage – not to mention many military employees, most of which had to stand for the whole flight.

A lot has changed in recent years. There is a new hangar large enough to shelter planes during storms. They build a control tower and deepen a small port to allow larger boats to dock. We were driven around the island by some of the Marines located there, though given its size, hardly seemed necessary

The Philippines seized Pagasa from Taiwan in 1971, when the Taiwanese garrison left him during Typhoon. It was officially annexed by the Philippines in 1978.

Later, the government began to encourage civilians to settle there. But they need support to survive this distant land. Families receive official donations of food, water and other food every month. They now have electricity and connectivity to mobile phones, but it only came four years ago.

In addition to government jobs, fishing is the only viable way to make a living and after the arrival of the Chinese fleets, it has even become difficult.

Fisherman Larry Hugo has lived on the island for 16 years and chronicles increasing Chinese control over the area. He filmed the initial construction of Subi Reef, about 32 km (20 miles) from Pagasa, which ultimately became a full -size military base. One of his videos, showing that his small wooden boat was almost stabbed by a ship on the Chinese coast security in 2021, made him a minor celebrity.

But Chinese harassment forced him to fish in a smaller area closer to the home.

“Their ships are huge compared to ours. They threaten us, approaching and voicing their horns to drive us away. They really scare us. So I don’t go to my old fishing sites anymore. Now I have to fish near the island, but fish stocks are falling here.

Eilin Limbo has been a teacher of the island for 10 years and sees that the school is growing from a small hut to a school school in full size more than 100 students, from kindergarten to 18 years.

“For me, this island is like paradise,” she says. “All our basic needs are taken care of. It is clean and calm – children can play basketball or go to swim after school. We do not need shopping centers or all this materialism.”

Pagasa is really quiet. In the fierce lunch, we found that most people postpone in hammocks or play music on their porches. We came across Melania Aloyado, a village health worker, shaking a small baby to help him sleep.

“The biggest challenge for us is when people, especially children, get sick,” she says.

“If it is serious, then we have to evacuate them to the continental part. I am not a registered nurse, so I cannot perform complex medical tasks. But planes are not always available, and sometimes the weather is too rough to travel.

“When this happens, we just have to take care of them as well as possible.”

But it also appreciates the peace of island life. “We are without a lot of stress. We get subsidized food and we can grow part of ours. In the big city everything you do need money.”

We have seen a few new houses build up, but there is really no room for a lot of people to accommodate many more. With very few jobs, young people usually leave the island after graduating from school. For all his sleepy charm and stunning white sand beaches, he has a sense of a garrison community, holding the line against the Chinese presence, which is clearly visible right on the shore.

“The Chinese at the Subi Reef Air Base always challenge us when we approach Pagasa,” the pilot says. “They always warn us that we enter Chinese territory without permission.”

Do they ever try to stop you? “No, this is a routine. We tell them this is the territory of the Philippines. We do that every time.”

Jonathan Malaya says his government has been an official diplomatic protest every week at the Chinese Embassy because of the presence of their ships in what the Philippines consider as the territorial waters of Pagasa. This is in a pronounced contrast with the previous administration of President Rodrigo Duterte, which avoids confrontations with China in the hope of achieving more investment in the Philippines.

“I think we will get more respect than China if we hold on our ground, and show them that we can play this game as well. But the problem with democracies like the Philippines is politics can change with new administrations. China does not have this problem.”