Enrique Manalo News

Far out in the South China Sea, where dark blue meets bright turquoise, a miles-long row of fishing boats anchor near Scarborough Shoal, backed by a small armada of coastguard projecting China's power in Asia's most disputed waters. China still calls the shots at the prime fishing spot and has boosted its fleet there, nine months after an international panel ruled its blockade of the lagoon was illegal. Beijing rejected that ruling by the Permanent Court of Arbitration, which invalidated China's claim of sovereignty over most of the South China Sea. But the presence of Philippine boats dotted between Chinese vessels shows a degree of compliance with the ruling.

Philippine Permanent Representative to the International Maritime Organization (IMO) Ambassador Enrique Manalo said "the duty of the crew is to safely operate the ships which carry 80 percent of global trade. It is in turn the responsibility of shipping companies and Flag States to protect them from the scourge of piracy as they carry out this duty". He said the Philippine government continues to advocate for the implementation of Best Management Practices (BMPs) codified by the commercial shipping sector as the primary defense against pirate attacks. These practices include the use of razor wires around the vessel to deter pirates from climbing on board…