‘Lugaw’ and rainwater for weeks: BRP Teresa Magbanua crew’s struggles in WPS

MANILA, Philippines — For weeks, “lugaw” or rice porridge filled their stomachs and they resorted to drinking boiled rainwater as well as droplets from their ship’s air-conditioning system to quench their thirst.

These were the dire conditions experienced by the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) crew of BRP Teresa Magbanua, which prompted their eventual departure from Escoda (Sabina) Shoal after more than five months.

Commodore Jay Tarriela, PCG spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea, said such ordeal was the result of China Coast Guard’s (CCG) “targeted harassment” of the BRP Teresa Magbanua crew.

READ: West PH Sea: BRP Teresa Magbanua arrives in Palawan with sick crew

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“They went through to the point that, for more than one month, they only drank water which came from the rainwater, and it was even mentioned by the commanding officer that they even have to—in cases when there are no rains— they even have to gather water in the air-conditioning units, and then they’re just going to boil it and that will be used for drinking and also for cooking,” Tarriela said in a press conference on Monday.

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Due to lack of water, three PCG crew experienced dehydration, and one had a gout attack “presumably” also due to dehydration, said Tarriela.

The crew were immediately administered with IV fluids when they docked in Puerto Princesa City, Palawan on Sunday.

READ: West PH Sea: Marcos orders continued presence at Sabina after ship pullout

“All they ate for almost three weeks is lugaw, so that is one of the reasons why those three personnel experienced sudden weakness and even headaches,” he noted.

Desalination system shuts down

Anchored in Sabina Shoal since April 16, BRP Teresa Magbanua has been the longest-deployed PCG asset in the West Philippine Sea.

The long deployment of the PCG’s biggest vessel there also took a toll on its desalination system, Tarriela noted.

“As a modern vessel, it can be able to generate fresh water using a desalination machine, but because of her prolonged stay and usage of her desalinator machine, it would require brand new filters to convert salt water to  potable drinking water,” he continued.

Tarriela said replacement for the filters of the desalination system will arrive from Japan in the coming weeks.

PH free to send supplies until August

The supplies for BRP Teresa Magbanua only became critical as of August amid CCG’s continuous aggressive actions against the vessels attempting to send essential goods.

“It was only in August where the Chinese Coast Guard started becoming more aggressive and prevented our Coast Guard vessels,” Tarriela said.

On Aug. 19, PCG’s 44-meter vessels BRP Cape Engaño and BRP Bacagay were subjected by CCG to what the PCG deemed as aggressive maneuvers while traversing the waters off the shoal, damaging both ships.

READ: PH vessels rammed, harassed by China anew in West Philippine Sea – Malaya

Then on Aug. 25, CCG vessels blasted water cannons against a Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) vessel there.

China also ramped up its deployment of CCG ships and its maritime militia within that month.

Last Aug. 26, a total of 40 Chinese vessels and warships were deployed at Escoda Shoal to prevent BRP Cabra and BRP Cape Engaño from resupplying BRP Teresa Magbanua.

This prompted the military to use its helicopter to drop supplies for the BRP Teresa Magbanua crew last Aug. 29.

Prior to August, Tarriela noted that the PCG had never had a hard time sending supplies to BRP Teresa Magbanua.

Chinese publication Global Times once claimed that the Philippines may build a “forward deployment base” in Escoda Shoal, a claim which Tarriela previously said was “unfounded.”

Beijing asserts sovereignty in almost the entire South China Sea, including most of the West Philippine Sea, even if such a claim has been effectively invalidated by the arbitral award issued in July 2016.

This landmark ruling stemmed from a case filed by Manila in 2013, or a year after its tense standoff with Beijing over Panatag (Scarborough) Shoal, whose lagoon the latter now has an effective control of.

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