Scarborough Shoal, also known as Panacot,Bajo de Masinloc, Huangyan Island, Minzhu Jiao, and Panatag Shoal, are two skerries located between Macclesfield Bank to the west and Luzon to the east. Luzon is 220 kilometres (119 nmi) away and the nearest landmass. The atoll is a disputed territory claimed by the Republic of the Philippines through the 1734 Velarde map, as well as the People's Republic of China and the Republic of China (Taiwan). The atoll's status is often discussed in conjunction with other territorial disputes in the South China Sea, such as those involving the Spratly Islands, and the 2012 Scarborough Shoal standoff. In 2013, the Philippines initiated arbitration against China under UNCLOS. In 2016, the tribunal ruled that China's historic title within the nine-dash line was invalid but did not rule on sovereignty.
The Philippine Navy (PN) is the naval warfare service branch of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. It has an estimated strength of 24,500 active service personnel, including the 10,300-strong Philippine Marine Corps. It operates 90 combat vessels, 16 auxiliary vessels, 25 manned aircraft and 8 unmanned aerial vehicles. Tracing its roots from the Philippine Revolutionary Navy on May 20, 1898, while its modern foundations were created during the creation of the Offshore Patrol on February 9, 1939, the PN is currently responsible for naval warfare operations and maritime patrol missions within the Philippine Waters, as well as ensuring the protection of the Philippine's maritime interests, including the West Philippine Sea and Benham Rise.
The Philippines' Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, is an agency of the Philippine government under the Department of Agriculture responsible for the development, improvement, law enforcement, management and conservation of the Philippines' fisheries and aquatic resources.
The China Coast Guard (CCG) is the maritime security, search and rescue, and law enforcement service branch of the People's Armed Police of China. The Coast Guard is an armed gendarmerie force, and its cutters are armed. Although the majority of its activities are ordinary law enforcement, it has gained notoriety for its role in political border clashes in the South China Sea and Senkaku/Diaoyu islands.
The BRP Rizal (PS-74) was the lead ship and first of two Rizal class ships in service with the Philippine Navy. She was an ex-USN Auk class minesweeper that was produced during World War II, and was classified as a patrol corvette protecting the vast waters of the Philippines. Along with other ex-World War II veteran ships of the Philippine Navy, she was considered one of the oldest active fighting ships in the world, until 2020.
The BRP Carlos Albert (PC-375) is the fifth ship of the Jose Andrada class coastal patrol boats of the Philippine Navy. It is part of the first batch of its class ordered through US Foreign Military Sales (FMS) in 1990, and was commissioned with the Philippine Navy in January 1992. It was initially designated as Fast Patrol Craft, and was numbered "DF-375", but later on was re-designated as a Patrol Gunboat, and was re-numbered as "PG-375", until another round of reclassification changed its designation as a Patrol Craft with hull number "PC-375" from April 2016.
The Scarborough Shoal standoff is a dispute between the Philippines and the People's Republic of China over the Scarborough Shoal. Tensions began on April 8, 2012, after the attempted apprehension by the Philippine Navy of eight mainland Chinese fishing vessels near the shoal.
The Ilocos Norte-class patrol boat is a series of four vessels in active service of the Philippine Coast Guard. Their hull number prefix "SARV" means they are classified as "search and rescue vessels".
BRP Gregorio del Pilar (PS-15) is the lead ship of her class of offshore patrol vessel of the Philippine Navy. She is the second ship to be named after Gregorio del Pilar, a Filipino revolutionary general known for his role at the Battle of Tirad Pass. She was originally designated as "PF-15" from 2012 to mid-2016. Then the Navy adopted a new code designation system and she was redesignated as "FF-15". In February 2019, the Navy downgraded the status of the entire class from frigate to patrol ship and redesignated her to "PS-15".
BRP Lapu-Lapu (MMOV-5001) is one of two multi-mission offshore civilian patrol vessel of Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources. The ship was locally manufactured in the Philippines by the Josefa Slipways, Inc. in Navotas. It was launched on August 10, 2017, and was commissioned into service on December 21, 2017. Its intended mission is to guard Philippine waters against illegal fishing.
BRP Francisco Dagohoy (MMOV-5002) is one of two multi-mission offshore civilian patrol vessels operated by the Philippine government's Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources. The ship was built by Josefa Slipways, Inc. in Navotas. It was launched on August 10, 2017 and was commissioned into service on December 21, 2017. Its intended mission is to guard Philippine waters against illegal fishing.
BRP Bagacay (MRRV-4410) is the ninth ship of the Parola-class patrol vessels of the Philippine Coast Guard.
BRP Gabriela Silang (OPV-8301) is an offshore patrol vessel of the Philippine Coast Guard. She is the first offshore patrol vessel and currently, the second largest and most modern vessel of the Philippine Coast Guard. Named after Gabriela Silang, a revolutionary leader during the Philippine struggle for independence from Spain. She was constructed by French shipbuilder OCEA S.A. based on the OPV-270 Mk II design, in Les Sables-d'Olonne, France.
Josefa Slipways, Inc. is a medium-category shipbuilding company based in Navotas, Philippines. It was established in 2005 to provide shipbuilding and ship repair services to shipping companies and maritime government agencies in the Philippines. The company has two slipways in Navotas for docking and launching vessels as well as another facility in Sual, Pangasinan.
The BRP Datu Cabaylo (MMOV-3001) is the lead ship of a new class of 30-meter multi-mission offshore civilian patrol vessels operated by the Philippine government's Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources. The ship was built by Josefa Slipways, Inc. in Sual, Pangasinan using a design from Australian ship designer Incat Crowther, and was launched on 14 June 2022. It was commissioned in the later part of 2022. Its intended mission is to guard Philippine waters against illegal fishing, maritime protection and fisheries control, with secondary mission of supporting law enforcement agencies like the Philippine Coast Guard in patrolling Philippine territorial waters and Exclusive Economic Zones.
The BRP Datu Pagbuaya (MMOV-3003) is the third ship of the Datu Cabaylo-class of 30-meter multi-mission offshore civilian patrol vessels being built for the Philippine government's Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources. The ship is being built by Josefa Slipways, Inc. in Sual, Pangasinan and is scheduled to be launched 3rd quarter of 2022. Its intended mission is to guard Philippine waters against illegal fishing.
The Datu Cabaylo-class multi-mission offshore vessel is a new class of fisheries patrol vessel being constructed for the Philippine Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) under the Department of Agriculture.
BRP Datu Bankaw (MMOV-3004) is the fourth ship of a new class of 30-meter multi-mission offshore civilian patrol vessels operated by the Philippine government's Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources.
The Datu Bago-class multi-mission offshore vessel is a new class of 40-meter fisheries patrol vessel being constructed for the Philippine Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) under the Department of Agriculture.
Philippines