Metro Manila, Philippines – President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has urged China to provide advanced notice before any rocket stages or debris enter Philippine waters, saying that doing so will help mitigate risks and enable safe recovery operations.
“We just wish that perhaps they could warn us a little earlier so that we know the path of the rocket, where the path is and kung magbibitaw sila ng stages kung saan babagsak (if they will release stages, where they will fall),” Marcos told reporters during a media briefing on Friday in India, as quoted by the Philippine News Agency (PNA).
The government has expressed concern over the recent launch of China’ s Long March 12 space launch vehicle, which resulted in debris falling into waters near Palawan on August 4.
While emphasizing that no laws were broken, Marcos acknowledged that similar incidents involving suspected Chinese rocket debris had happened before. “There have been no casualties,” he said, noting that no one was harmed and no damage was reported.
Marcos also recounted a previous conversation with Chinese President Xi Jinping, where he clarified that the Philippines had no intention of keeping the debris.
“You know, we have no interest in your rockets. Just tell us where they will land, we will collect it and give it to you,” Marcos said.
The statement follows public alarm in Palawan after multiple explosions were heard during the Chinese rocket launch, prompting local reports of a fireball in the sky and tremors on the ground.
In a statement, Foreign Affairs Secretary Theresa Lazaro noted the incident with concern and urged all spacefaring nations to adhere to international norms of responsible behavior in outer space activities, particularly in ensuring the safety and interests of other countries.
“The Philippines takes this opportunity to urge all spacefaring states to conduct their space activities in a manner consistent with norms of responsible behavior, and with due regard to the rights and interests of other states,” Lazaro said.
According to the National Security Council, the rocket debris fell around 21 nautical miles off the coast of Puerto Princesa and 18 nautical miles from the Tubbataha Reef Natural Park. National Security Adviser Secretary Eduardo Año condemned the launch as “irresponsible,” warning that the falling debris endangered both the local population and maritime navigation in the area.
“[The launch] placed the people of Palawan at risk,” Año said, citing eyewitness accounts and loud detonations that caused widespread concern in several coastal municipalities. He confirmed that aerial and surface teams have been deployed to locate and recover any debris from the ocean.
