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A Filipino travel enthusiast waved the Philippine flag on a sandbar near the contested Pag-asa Island in the West Philippine Sea, as seen in a circulating video, despite the presence of Chinese ships.

Cheenie Landayan who is fond of exploring unexplored spots around the Philippines joined a tourist group that visited Pag-asa Island earlier this month and was filmed by a fellow traveller moving across the sandbar waving the Philippine flag.

China is claiming Pag-asa, an island in the Kalayaan chain or Spratlys at least 285 nautical miles from Palawan. Manila has long established a military and civilian presence in the area.

The travel enthusiast told ABS-CBN that during the trip, their vessel was shadowed by China Coast Guard vessels.

“Yes, nagawa namin! Nagawa namin,” Landayan told the media outlet. “Ang galing, ang galing ng moment. Atin ‘tong sandy Cay na ito. Atin ‘tong Spratlys, iyon ‘yong feeling.”

She also shared being cautioned by local fishermen with the Chinese Coast Guard on patrol, admitting there was some fear in the surroundings.

“Nakakatakot, siyempre. Nakakanginig din ng tuhod ‘yung experience kasi doon pa lang makita mo may mga Chinese vessels nga na puwedeng pumunta agad, puwede kaming habulin,” Landayan said.

China asserts sovereignty over almost the entire West Philippine Sea, despite an international court ruling in 2016 that deemed its stance to have no legal basis.

China is claiming Pag-asa, an island in the Kalayaan chain or Spratlys at least 285 nautical miles from Palawan. Manila has long established a military and civilian presence in the area.

Landayan said she was advised to practice caution in the sandy cay by Filipino fishermen who accompanied her.

“Nakakatakot, siyempre. Nakakanginig din ng tuhod ‘yong experience kasi do

The Philippine Coast Guard has blamed China for the sorry state of the environment, noting that the degradation of marine life in Pag-asa was a result of China’s reclamation activities.

Prof. Jonathan Anticamara of the University of the Philippines Institute of Biology earlier said Pag-asa is now in “degraded states” with “low coral and fish diversity and abundance.”

A “pile of sand and rubble” were also seen that supposedly indicates island-building activities.

Beijing has denied the reclamation accusation.