Seventh undisturbed resupply mission to Ayungin completed on Day of Valor

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April 10, 2025 | 11:11am

MANILA, Philippines — On a day meant to honor Filipino soldiers' courage, Philippine troops carried out an undisturbed resupply mission to the BRP Sierra Madre in Ayungin Shoal (Second Thomas) — the seventh straight mission completed without interference. 

The Armed Forces of the Philippines' rotation of troops and delivery of fresh supplies to the grounded warship on April 9 coincided with the country's commemoration of the 83rd Day of Valor (Araw ng Kagitingan).

This marks the seventh consecutive resupply and rotation mission since July 2024 that was completed without interference — a contrast to early last year, when Chinese ships frequently blocked or harassed Philippine vessels in the area.

Ayungin Shoal, internationally known as Second Thomas Shoal, is a submerged reef in the West Philippine Sea where the BRP Sierra Madre, a World War II-era ship, was deliberately grounded in 1999. The vessel serves as a Philippine Navy outpost and is a visible assertion of Philippine sovereign rights within its exclusive economic zone.

The shoal is approximately 105 nautical miles west of Palawan but is also claimed by China, which insists the shoal lies within its sweeping “nine-dash line” claim over nearly the entire South China Sea — a stance invalidated by a 2016 arbitral ruling. 

As a result, Chinese coast guard and militia vessels have repeatedly shadowed, blocked, and in some cases used water cannons against Philippine resupply missions in the area in recent years.

"As the nation marks the 83rd Anniversary of the Day of Valor, the AFP honors the courage and dedication of our soldiers aboard BRP Sierra Madre who continue to stand guard in the West Philippine Sea to uphold our sovereignty, sovereign rights and national interest," Col. Xerxes Trinidad, AFP public affairs chief, said on Thursday, April 10.

The mission was carried out in close coordination with the Philippine Coast Guard, according to the AFP.

Successful resupply missions have now been carried out on July 27, September 26, November 14, and December 12 of 2024, as well as January 24, March 4, and most recently April 9, 2025.

"This milestone continues to highlight the AFP's unwavering commitment to ensuring continuous logistical and operational support for our personnel, despite the challenging security environment in the West Philippine Sea," Trinidad added.

The Day of Valor, locally known as "Araw ng Kagitingan," commemorates the fall of Bataan during World War II and honors the bravery of Filipino and American soldiers who defended the Philippines against Japanese forces. 

The Philippines' undisturbed missions to BRP Sierra Madre can be attributed to a provisional arrangement struck between Manila and Beijing on July 2 last year. The agreement came after months of increasingly dangerous confrontations near the shoal that had drawn international concern and condemnation.

The deal became controversial when, shortly after its announcement by the Department of Foreign Affairs, China issued a statement claiming the Philippines had agreed to "[tow] away" the BRP Sierra Madre — an assertion immediately refuted by Philippine officials.