China has been expanding its reclamation projects in the West Philippine Sea, using massive boulders and soil extracted from Zambales province by local mining companies, Gov. Amor Deloso said on Tuesday. Citing information from local officials and residents, Deloso said China has been building military structures and an airport on 3,500 hectares of a reclaimed area near the disputed Panatag (Scarborough) Shoal. He said 450 trucks “worked day and night, shipping soil from three mountains in Sta. Cruz town” that was leveled by mining companies extracting nickel ore there.

Macatuno, A. (2016, July 27). China reclamation using PH soil–gov. Philippine Daily Inquirer, p. A6.