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Cristina Chi - Philstar.com
February 5, 2026 | 4:31pm
Members of Western Naval Command Staff together with the Staff of the Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park during the Signing of MoU for the Co-Location of NMD Tubbataha at the Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park Ranger Station, Feb. 3, 2026.
Western Naval Command / Released
MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Navy is set to station some of its personnel at Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park to track the movement of vessels in the Sulu Sea, where Chinese warships have also passed through, according to the Navy.
Navy spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea Rear Adm. Roy Vincent Trinidad said Thursday, February 5, the detachment will support coast guard, fisheries and ranger operations protecting the UNESCO World Heritage Site from illegal fishing and environmental violations.
The Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park is a marine protected area and world-renowned scuba diving site. Estimated to be over 97,000 hectares in size, the waters are also home to over 1,200 marine species.
The Western Naval Command signed a memorandum of understanding Tuesday with the Tubbataha Management Office to formalize the partnership. Naval personnel will co-locate with existing ranger stations at the marine park.
"This is the Navy's contribution to support environmental protection," Trinidad said in Filipino. "Tubbataha is in the Sulu Sea, within our archipelagic sea lanes, so it's important we have a presence there to help the coast guard, BFAR and other agencies securing Tubbataha, which is a world-renowned dive spot."
Trinidad explained that the Navy already has the capability to monitor large vessels passing through the area, and the new detachment focuses primarily on environmental protection.
The park, located in the Sulu Sea east of Puerto Princesa, faces ongoing threats from illegal fishing and environmental degradation. During diving season, rangers also monitor visitors to prevent damage to corals.
Chinese Navy vessels have passed through these waters using all foreign vessels' right to innocent passage to transit within the Philippine archipelagic waters. Innocent passage means the vessel must sail continuously through the territorial sea without stopping, except when necessary due to emergencies. Its passage must also not be prejudicial to the peace, good order, or security of the coastal state.
Having the Navy set up its own detachment there will "enhance maritime monitoring and conservation efforts, strengthening inter-agency coordination for effective maritime situational awareness in the Sulu Sea," the Navy said in its news release.
China launched Long March rockets at least five times in 2025 with debris projected to fall near Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park, well within the country's territorial waters — in August (18 nautical miles away), another August launch (55 nautical miles away), November (20 nautical miles away), and two December launches (48 and 46 nautical miles away).
The repeated rocket launches, fired from China's Hainan launch site, have prompted the Department of Foreign Affairs to express concern and urge "all spacefaring states" to conduct their activities responsibly.
