A barter system is slowly emerging in Panatag (Scarborough) Shoal, with Filipino fishermen exchanging their catch for food from their Chinese counterparts. A military official privy to the ongoing maritime and territorial monitoring over the disputed shoal bared this yesterday, saying Filipino fishermen do not have enough food supply while fishing in the area. “Barter trade happens out there once in a while. There’s no store from which our fishermen can buy to replenish their food stock and only the Chinese have the goods,” the security official, who asked not to be named, said.

Laude, J. (2018, March 29). Barter system emerging in disputed shoal. The Philippine Star, p. 4.