00:00 Both the BRP Cabra and BRP Sindangan are continuing their journey to Pagasa Island
00:05 as part of a Philippine Coast Guard or PCG Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources
00:10 or BFAR Resource Assessment Operation.
00:13 Meanwhile, two other boats of the BFAR, the BRP Datu Pagbuaya and BRP Datu Sandai
00:19 also set sail today for Pagasa Island.
00:22 Marine scientists from the National Fisheries Research and Development,
00:25 BFAR and UP Biology as well as media personnel are part of this group
00:30 which aims to see the state of the marine resources in the sandbars
00:34 that are part of Philippine territory.
00:36 Also, experts want to observe the state of biodiversity
00:39 and conduct tests on the unnatural corals and water quality in the area.
00:44 They will do all this while expecting harassment from Chinese vessels.
00:48 "We think that when we go underwater, what we will do is that we need to look at
00:54 what is natural coral reef in there.
00:56 And if we find something that is different from what is in there naturally,
01:00 like the live corals, then we will probably be able to answer something related to that question.
01:05 Are there unnatural structures?
01:07 Are there unnatural reef fragments that are being put in there?
01:11 But for now, we don't really know until we find out."
01:14 "One of the main objectives of this marine scientific research that we are conducting
01:20 is also anchored on the food security intent of our president.
01:26 The Philippine Coast Guard and the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources
01:31 was stopped by the National Task Force to ensure that our food security
01:37 is not compromised in the entire West Philippine Sea.
01:40 And for us to have a much more better appreciation and right
01:43 evaluation of the aquatic resources, we have to rely on science to do that.
01:49 That is the reason why we are doing this now.
