MANILA – The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), in coordination with the Philippine Navy (PN), monitored a total of 19,655 local and foreign vessels across the country’s waters in January, a top naval official reported.

Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad, PN spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea, said 16,670 of the ships were foreign, while 2,985 were domestic. Of these, 16,098 vessels responded to radio challenges, while 3,557 did not.

Vessel activity was highest in the northern waters (7,639), followed by Western Mindanao (4,366), the West (3,990), Southern Luzon (2,482), and Eastern Mindanao (1,178), underscoring the strategic importance of these maritime zones. The monitoring covered the period from January 1 to 31.

“These figures reflect the AFP’s steadfast commitment to safeguarding national territory, sovereignty, and sovereign rights. Consistent with national policy, the AFP will continue to uphold international law, maintain a credible and disciplined presence, and protect our rights and interests in support of regional peace and stability,” Trinidad said.

Chinese naval and coast guard activity

During the same period, the AFP tracked 48 Chinese naval and coast guard ships in four key features of the West Philippine Sea (WPS) from late January to February 2:

• Bajo de Masinloc – 10 People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) vessels and 11 China Coast Guard (CCG) ships
• Ayungin Shoal – 12 CCG ships
• Escoda Shoal – three PLAN and five CCG vessels
• Pag-asa Island – two PLAN and five CCG ships

Trinidad noted that these figures do not include the so-called Chinese maritime militia vessels.

The monitoring highlights the AFP’s ongoing efforts to maintain maritime domain awareness, ensure safe navigation, and assert Philippine sovereignty amid rising regional tensions in the WPS.