President Rodrigo Duterte has called on China to prohibit its fishermen from venturing inside the Scarborough or Panatag Shoal just like action taken by the Philippines. The president maintained that the lagoon within the Panatag Shoal should be kept off limits to fishing activities to protect the vital spawning grounds of fishes. Duterte said even if there had been no territorial disputes, it was "common sense" for nations "not to destroy the source of the life" in the sea.

Kabiling, G. D. (2016, November 25). China called on to prohibit their fishermen from Panatag. Manila Bulletin, p. 5.