MANILA — The Philippines’ discussions with China on fishing rights in the West Philippine Sea have made some progress, President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. said Tuesday, as he highlighted the importance of communication with the Asian power.

In a chance interview with reporters, Marcos noted that a Chinese vessel shadowed BRP Francisco Dagohoy after delivering aid to Pag-asa island, and was not blocked in its pathway.

• Chinese navy vessel shadowed BRP Francisco Dagohoy that visited Pag-asa Island

Aside from this, coordination is being done whenever there is fishing ban in the disputed waters.

“So there’s a little progress there, kaya actually ang [Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources] may projection na lalaki ang huli kasi nabawasan nga, nabigyan pagkakataon ang ating mga [fishermen]” Marcos said.

“That is because we are continuing to talk to the Chinese government, to the President Xi in every way,” he added.

Marcos said he stressed to President Xi the importance of putting a premium on the welfare of fishermen in the area, as they are affected by the developments.

• Mga mangingisda sa West PH Sea, patuloy na nakararanas ng pangha-harass

“Huwag na nating pag-usapan ‘yong teritoryo dahil hindi naman tayo makakapag-decide dito na nag-uusap tayo, unahin niyo ‘yong fisheries,” he said.

“Slowly, slowly, these things do not come very quickly, slowly, slowly, but we are slowly making progress because the key to that is the improved communication between the Philippine government and the Chinese government,” he added.

The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) on Saturday said Filipino fishermen could have caught more fish in the West Philippine Sea if no Chinese incursions occurred.

• More fish catch in West PH Sea if no Chinese incursions: BFAR

BFAR spokesperson Naz Briguera said the West Philippine Sea contributes 6 percent to the country's total fisheries production as of 2022. This is equivalent to 275,872 metric tons with commercial and local fishing production combined.

In January during his trip to China, Marcos said that President Xi vowed to “find a compromise and find a solution” for Filipino fishermen to return to traditional fishing grounds in disputed areas in the South China Sea.

China and the Philippines are at odds over the South China Sea, with Beijing claiming sovereignty over almost the entire area despite an international court ruling that its claims have no legal basis.

The Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia and Brunei have overlapping claims to parts of the sea, and Manila ordered its military last month to boost its presence in the contested waters after a report that China had started reclaiming several unoccupied land features around the Spratly Islands.

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