Kalayaan Vice Mayor Maurice Philip Alexis “MP” Albayda on Thursday called for China to be held accountable for environmental damage in the West Philippine Sea, saying the destruction of reefs has directly affected the livelihood and food security of Filipino fishing communities.
Speaking during a policy dialogue at the National West Philippine Sea Summit, Albayda urged experts and government officials to look beyond transparency efforts and pursue measures to quantify and recover losses from ecological damage in disputed waters.
“While we are strengthening our transparency initiatives, how do we, on the other hand, make China accountable for the measurable damage that they have made?” Albayda asked.
He cited the grounding of a Chinese maritime militia vessel near Pag-asa Island in June 2025, which he said caused an estimated P11.1 million in environmental damage.
“It’s not just a shoal or a reef that they have run aground. That reef is a traditional fishing ground of our fisherfolk who might have caught a decent fish catch for their family,” Albayda said.
He said the issue extends beyond territorial disputes because it directly affects food security and the livelihoods of coastal communities.
“If you’re just going to put it in the national threshold… it’s a gut issue—food security, energy security, and other shared national interests,” he said.
Albayda also urged the government to further institutionalize public education on the West Philippine Sea by integrating the issue beyond existing lessons in Grades 4, 6, and 10.
“What could be the national trajectory of contextualizing the lesson of the West Philippine Sea to the very fiber of our society?” he asked.
Responding to Albayda’s question, former Supreme Court Associate Justice Antonio Carpio said he has long advocated for the Philippines to bring another international case against China specifically over environmental destruction in the West Philippine Sea.
Carpio said pursuing accountability for ecological damage could become another avenue for defending Philippine rights under international law.
