Philippines says China coast guard used "laser" to disrupt resupply mission

The Philippines on Monday accused China's coast guard of trying to block one of its vessels supporting a resupply
mission for troops stationed on an atoll in the disputed South China Sea by directing a "military-grade laser" at the
crew on the ship.

In a statement, the Philippine coast guard said the Feb. 6 incident took place at the Second Thomas Shoal, when a
Chinese coast guard vessel directed the laser at its ship, causing temporary blindness to crew on the bridge and
making "dangerous manoeuvres".

"The deliberate blocking of the Philippine government ships to deliver food and supplies to our military
personnel...is a blatant disregard for, and a clear violation of, Philippine sovereign rights in this part of the West
Philippine Sea," the statement said.

The Chinese embassy in Manila did not immediately respond to a request for comment. China has said it was ready
to manage maritime issues "cordially" with the Philippines during President Ferdinand Marcos' visit to Beijing in
January.

Known locally as Ayungin, the Second Thomas Shoal, 105 nautical miles (195 km) from the Philippine province of
Palawan, is the temporary home of a small contingent of military aboard a rusty ship.

The 100-meter long (330-ft) World War Two ship was intentionally grounded at the shoal in 1999 to reinforce
Manila's sovereignty claims in the Spratly archipelago.

China's reported blocking of a resupply mission comes as Marcos has expressed openness to forging a Visiting
Forces Agreement (VFA) with Japan to boost maritime security.

In August, Chinese coast guard vessels, with Chinese maritime militia, blocked Philippine coast guard ships
providing security to navy resupply boats, the coast guard statement said.

Marcos was last week on a five-day visit to Japan to forge closer security ties with Tokyo, which in December
announced its biggest military-build up since World War Two, fuelled by concerns about aggressive Chinese actions
in the region.

The president's first visit to Japan since taking office came after he recently granted the United States access to
additional military bases in the Philippines under a VFA, a move that China said undermined regional stability and
raised tensions. The VFA provides rules for the rotation of thousands of U.S. troops in and out of the Philippines for
exercises.

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 DSWD eyes more satellite payout sites for aid distribution

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) plans to open more satellite payout sites in Metro
Manila and nearby areas to further decongest its central office as it begins implementing a scheduling system for aid
distribution.

DSWD spokesperson Romel Lopez on Monday said the agency introduced changes in its system for aid distribution
to prevent crowding and commotion in its central office in Quezon City and to save individuals seeking aid the long
commute to the central office

“Ang nakikita po natin ay i-cluster natin ‘yan: north, south, east, west. So meron po tayo sa CAMANAVA area,
meron po tayo sa Quezon City area, meron rin po sa South, halimbawa Las Piñas at Muntinlupa,” he said in a public
briefing.

“Bukod po sa NCR (National Capital Region), pwede po ang inyong ahensya na magkaroon ng satellite offices o
mga payout, processing area sa mga lugar malapit sa NCR kagaya ng Rizal, Bulacan at Pampanga,” he added.

[Translation: We eye clustering: north, south, east, west. So we will have satellite payout sites in CAMANAVA,
Quezon City, and in the South like Las Piñas and Muntinlupa. The agency will also have satellite offices or payout,
processing areas in areas near NCR like Rizal, Bulacan, and Pampanga.]

Lopez said Social Welfare Secretary Rex Gatchalian is already in talks for possible venues like a cinema complex,
covered court, and gymnasium.

The DSWD central office started implementing the scheduling system for aid distribution beginning Monday, Feb.
27. Payout schedule will be from 5 a.m. to 3 p.m.
 Search for missing Cessna plane in Isabela expands to sea

CAUAYAN CITY - A search team was deployed on Monday to the waters off Isabela province after rescuers failed
to find the missing Cessna plane and its six occupants in the forests of the Sierra Madre mountain ranges in the last
12 days.

In an advisory, Constante Foronda, Isabela provincial disaster risk reduction management officer and incident
management team commander, said rescue workers from the Philippine Coast Guard have been helping in the
search.

Still no sign of Cessna plane that went missing in Isabela - CAAP

Foronda said other search teams had already reached the initial target site at Barangay Dicaruyan in Isabela's
Divilacan town, but the plane's wreckage was not found.

Joshua Hapinat, incident management team spokesperson, said only white rocks, cliffs, waterfalls and trees were
seen in the remote forest of Dicaruyan, where a farmer reported seeing the plane crash at the time it went missing on
January 24.

CAAP: Missing Cessna plane now in 'Distress Phase'

The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines announced that it was examining the records of radar stations in
Aparri town in Cagayan province, Laoag City in Ilocos Norte province, and Tagaytay City in Cavite province that
may have tracked the Cessna 206 before it disappeared. INQ