Philippines to deploy more assets in West PHL Sea to assert claims, combat illegal fishing By LLANESCA T. PANTI, GMA News Published April 21, 2021 8:50pm The Philippines will deploy additional assets to the West Philippine Sea (WPS) to assert the country's territorial claims in the disputed area and prevent illegal fishing, among other incursions. The National Task Force (NTF) on the WPS issued the statement just two days after President Rodrigo Duterte said he wanted to be friends with China and was “not so much interested in fishing” because there's not enough fish to quarrel about in the area. The statement also came amid the continued presence of Chinese vessels in the Julian Felipe Reef, a boomerang-shaped feature located 175 nautical miles of Bataraza, Palawan and clearly within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone.