Following a series of “monitored Chinese activities” near Pag-asa Island, the country’s largest possession in the nine occupied features in the West Philippine Sea (WPS), the Department of National Defense (DND) on Thursday directed the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) to beef up its presence in the region. However, it did not give any specifics on how it wants the AFP to strengthen its presence or deployment in the WPS. “Any encroachment in the WPS or reclamation on the features therein is a threat to the security of Pag-asa Island, which is part of Philippine sovereign territory,” it added in a news statement issued on Thursday.

Naval, R. A. (2022, December 23-25). DND to AFP: boost presence in West Philippine Sea. BusinessMirror, p. A3.