MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Navy spotted 29 Chinese vessels "passing through" the West Philippine Sea in October, according to its first monthly report released Tuesday, November 12.
According to the Navy's latest monitoring in the West Philippine Sea, 15 Chinese Coast Guard vessels and 14 People's Liberation Army Navy ships were seen near four Philippine features last month. These Chinese ships were observed near Bajo de Masinloc, Sabina (Escoda) Shoal, Julian Felipe Reef and Iroquois Reef.
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While the military noted these ships were "not stationary," the new monthly format no longer shows which features had the highest concentration of Chinese vessels, what types of vessels were deployed where, or how these numbers changed week by week.
The absence of weekly data is part of the military's shift to a new format of reporting on Chinese vessels' presence in the West Philippine Sea, said Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad, the Navy's spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea.
"We are trying to look at the 'bigger picture,' hence the monthly scope," he told Philstar.com.
When asked about the number of Chinese vessels swarming specific features, Trinidad said the People's Liberation Army Navy ships and CCG vessels "generally pass through or transit our features in the West Philippine Sea." Meanwhile, Chinese maritime militia vessels are "more stationary, at times in Ayungin, Sabina or other features."
"Whether in transit or stationary, their presence is illegal," he said.
Shift in public communications
Last month, the Navy announced that it would no longer publicize its weekly tally of Chinese ships in the West Philippine Sea after doing so for most of the year.
Trinidad said on October 22 that the military's shift in public communications aims to show the "big picture" of China's maritime presence in the Philippines' 200-nautical mile exclusive economic zone.
The broader October maritime traffic data showed 13,874 vessels passing through or meandering in the West Philippine Sea, with foreign ships accounting for 11,097 and domestic vessels numbering 2,777.
The Armed Forces of the Philippines said its monitoring capabilities showed its commitment to securing the country's waters. Its monitoring data on vessel movements "reinforces our resolve to safeguard our sovereignty," it said in a statement.
In one of its last weekly updates on September 24, the Navy reported an unprecedented 251 Chinese vessels spotted in the West Philippine Sea — the highest count recorded in 2024.
That September 24 report highlighted specific areas of concern, particularly at Sabina (Escoda) Shoal, where 82 Chinese vessels were concentrated, and Ayungin Shoal, which saw a dramatic surge from 17 to 72 Chinese vessels in a single week.