A Chinese maritime militia vessel’s parachute anchor destroyed about 464.96 square meters of coral reef off Pag-asa Island in Kalayaan town in the West Philippine Sea (WPS), with damage and restoration costs valued at about ₱11.1 million, according to the Palawan Council for Sustainable Development (PCSD).
The destruction happened when Chinese maritime militia vessel (CMMV) 16838 ran aground on June 7 at Pag-asa Reef 1, about 2.6 nautical miles from Pag-asa Island.
It deployed a large parachute anchor to slow its drift during bad weather, but the anchor landed on the reef and dragged along the seabed, crushing and breaking coral structures in the area.
The vessel remained grounded for more than three hours before managing to free itself.
PCSD scientists said if the parachute anchor is not removed, it will further cause damage in the ecosystem of Kalayaan.
Mark Ace Dela Cruz, head of PCSD’s Habitat Management System, said their survey found the heaviest destruction in the area where the parachute anchor landed.
The sea anchor area, where the parachute anchor landed, was measured at 307.75 square meters and is described as totally damaged.
The impacted area, where the dragging happened, had about 30% damage over a mapped area, which, when combined with the anchor area, brought the total calculated damaged area to 464.96 square meters.
“We measured it about 307 square meters. So this whole 307 square meters is considered as damaged,” he said during a press conference on Monday.
Dela Cruz added that the anchor remains on the reef and is difficult to remove.
“For the broken fragments, both hard and soft corals ang nakita natin na putol-putol. And we concluded, based on our observation, that the damages on the reef, yun po sa impacted area, ay caused by yung drag mismo nung reef anchor,” Dela Cruz explained.
“We tried to lift that up, pero sobrang bigat niya, and for a 6-man dive team, medyo mahirap siyang buhatin,” Dela Cruz added.
Parachute anchor’s threat
Dr. Ben Gonzales, a marine biologist and advisor to PCSD, explained the threat if the parachute anchor is left in place.
“The anchor parachute will continue to cover the corals, denying access to sunlight. Without sunlight, the coral reef will die,” he said.
He pointed out that there is a symbiotic relationship that exists between coral reefs and microscopic algae, which reside within the coral’s tissues.
These algae are photosynthetic organisms, capable of converting sunlight into chemical energy. This energy is then shared with the corals.
Gonzales warned of the wider impact on the marine ecosystem and fisheries if the corals are destroyed.
“When the coral reef is destroyed, we have around 4,000 to 6,000 species of fish na related sa coral reef,” he said.
According to him, PCSD Resolution No. 23-890 sets the value of corals at ₱12,000 per square meter, with an additional ₱12,000 per square meter allocated for restoration costs to return the reef to its original condition.
He noted their measurements covered both the sea anchor area and the impacted zone.
“So lumabas sa ating measurement na meron ang sea anchor na actual damage is 7,000. Ang area is 307.75 and ang impacted area nandoon kanina sa slide, we have the total damage na 464.96. Square meters amounting to 11,159,040 pesos,” he said.
Environmental accountability
The PCSD said it will recommend collecting the calculated damage amount from the vessel’s owners through the National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea (NTF-WPS) and is also planning a follow-up operation to remove the anchor, which continues to threaten the reef, said PCSD Staff Executive Director Atty. Teodoro Jose Matta.
He said the reef where the damage happened is in a legally designated core zone, which is a strict “no-touch” area where human activity is prohibited under Philippine law.
“We will transmit the findings to the NTF-WPS where the Department of Foreign Affairs and Department of Justice are also part,” he said.
Matta added they hope the diplomatic process will allow the Philippines to hold those responsible accountable for the damage.
In response, Assistant Director General Cornelio Valencia of the National Security Council (NSC) Jr. said they support the recommendations of the PCSD on reef rehabilitation and the enforcement of environmental accountability under Philippine law.
“We remain committed to safeguarding the West Philippine Sea, preserving our marine ecosystems, and upholding the well-being of the communities that depend on them,” Valencia said.
