The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), in coordination with the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), conducted a routine Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA) flight over Bajo de Masinloc on February 6, 2026, utilizing a BFAR aircraft.
At approximately 10:00 a.m., while the aircraft was positioned 81.42 nautical miles northeast of Bajo de Masinloc (equivalent to 45.08 nautical miles southwest of Agno, Pangasinan), it received 28 radio challenges from People’s Liberation Army-Navy (PLA-N) vessel hull number 553. The Philippine crew responded professionally to each challenge, asserting that the routine MDA flight was conducted in full accordance with international law.
The aircraft arrived over Bajo de Masinloc at 10:30 a.m. and performed circling maneuvers at approximately 6,000 feet. During the patrol, the crew observed:
– An unidentified fighter jet at coordinates 15°09.228′ N, 117°41.565′ E, approximately 1.79 nautical miles west of Bajo de Masinloc;
– One Chinese floating buoy inside the lagoon of Bajo de Masinloc; and
– Another Chinese floating buoy approximately 2 nautical miles northwest of Bajo de Masinloc.
The PCG and BFAR will continue to conduct regular and lawful maritime patrols to ensure the safety and security of Filipino fishermen and to assert the Philippines’ sovereignty, sovereign rights, and maritime jurisidiction in the West Philippine Sea.
