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Lanka IOC donates wheelchairs to Colombo South Teaching Hospital

Lanka IOC PLC, in commemoration of its 24th Anniversary, donated 20 wheelchairs to the Colombo South Teaching Hospital – Kalubowila, reaffirming its continued commitment to supporting Sri Lanka’s public healthcare sector.

Colombo South Teaching Hospital Deputy Director Dr. B. Sai Niranjan said Lanka IOC has been a longstanding partner of the hospital and had extended vital assistance during the COVID-19 pandemic. At a time when the hospital faced a shortage of essential medicines, Lanka IOC provided urgently required medicines valued at Rs. 2 million. The Company also donated two dialysis machines to the hospital during the crisis period.

Lanka IOC PLC Managing Director K. Raghu said the Company has been serving Sri Lanka for over 24 years and remains committed to supporting communities through its ‘WE CARE’ program.

‘Our mandate is to find meaningful ways of serving the nation. Through our ‘WE CARE’ program, we remain committed to supporting communities and addressing their essential social needs,’ Raghu added.

He noted that healthcare remains a key focus of Lanka IOC’s CSR initiatives. Having identified the shortage of dialysis facilities in government hospitals, the Company has so far donated 34 dialysis machines to government hospitals across Sri Lanka, particularly supporting hospitals with limited facilities.

Raghu also highlighted the recently conducted other initiatives, including the donation of an NIV machine National Hospital Galle, smart glasses to visually impaired students at the University of Colombo, and initiatives to provide clean water to institutions, including religious places.

‘I know that government hospitals can never be facilitated in full. However, wherever there is a genuine requirement, we will continue to do our best to fulfil it. It is our mandate to stand with the community and stand with the nation,’ he said.

Lanka IOC PLC Senior Vice President – Retail Sales and HR Jitendra Sharma, Senior Vice President – Engineering and Administration Sandeep Gupta, Colombo South Teaching Hospital Director Dr. Lalith Poddalgoda were also present.

Aznar Shipping eyes P670 milyong IPO to expand Visayas fleet

Cebuano firm Aznar Shipping Corp. is turning to the Philippine capital markets to finance an expansion of its fleet and maritime infrastructure, confident that the growing role of shipping in domestic trade will sustain demand for inter-island services.

The shipping operator has filed a registration statement with the Securities and Exchange Commission for an initial public offering of up to 1 billion primary common shares, with an over-allotment option of up to 100 million secondary shares, subject to regulatory approval.

At an indicative maximum price of P0.67 a share, the primary offering could raise as much as P670 million in gross proceeds. The secondary shares could generate a further P67 million if the over-allotment option is fully exercised.

The final offer price will be determined through book-building.

Aznar Shipping intends to deploy most of the proceeds towards fleet expansion and shipyard facility development, while allocating the remainder for general corporate purposes. The planned investment reflects the company’s effort to build a larger regional shipping platform at a time when trade and passenger flows across the Visayas are expanding.

‘As economic activity across the Visayas continues to grow, we want Aznar Shipping to grow with the region,’ Kyle Alexander C. Aznar, president and chief executive, said.

The company sees additional vessels and infrastructure as critical to connecting more of the region’s emerging economic centers and increasing its capacity to carry passengers, vehicles and cargo.

The investment case rests partly on the scale of maritime activity already concentrated in the Visayas.

A study by the Center for Research and Communication estimates that Visayas ports accounted for about 35 per cent of national cargo throughput, 60 per cent of passenger traffic and 49 per cent of roll-on/roll-off vehicle movements between 2022 and 2025. More than half of the country’s ship calls were also recorded in the region.

RoRo traffic – a key market for Aznar Shipping because its vessels carry vehicles as well as passengers and cargo – is expected to provide further momentum. The CRC study projects Visayas RoRo traffic to grow at an average annual rate of 12.9 per cent through 2028, compared with 10.7 per cent nationally.

That differential points to a potentially attractive regional growth market, but also underscores the capital intensity of competing for it.

Aznar Shipping currently operates nine vessels on four major inter-island routes, with regular port calls at eight ports across Cebu, Leyte, Panay and Negros Occidental.

Its customer base spans shippers, trucking and logistics companies, bus operators, construction companies, freight forwarders and passengers, giving the company exposure to both commercial and consumer demand.

The company plans to increase vessel capacity, add viable routes and develop the operational infrastructure needed to support a broader network.

The IPO will therefore provide Aznar Shipping with capital to pursue growth without relying solely on internally generated funds or conventional borrowing. For investors, however, the expansion also puts greater emphasis on the company’s ability to convert regional economic growth into higher vessel utilization, revenue and returns on capital.

Aznar Shipping has appointed Investment and Capital Corporation of the Philippines and PNB Capital and Investment Corporation as joint issue managers, joint lead underwriters and joint bookrunners.

Subject to regulatory approvals and market conditions, the IPO is scheduled to run from December 1 to December 8, 2026, with listing targeted for December 18 on the Philippine Stock Exchange’s Small, Medium and Emerging Board under the ticker ALX.

The company is enrolled in the PSE’s Listing Engagement and Assistance Program, which provides prospective issuers with guidance and support through the listing process.

For Aznar Shipping, the offering is more than a fund-raising exercise. It is a test of whether a regional shipping company can scale alongside an increasingly integrated Visayas economy – and whether investors will see enough value in that growth to back its next phase of expansion.

Philippines tagged as deadliest Asian country for environmentalists

The Philippines was named as the deadliest country in Asia for environmental defenders for the 13th consecutive year, climate justice watchdog Global Witness reported.

In the 2025 report of the investigative and campaigning organization, the Philippines tied with Honduras with 12 defenders’ deaths, the highest record outside Latin America.

Six of the recorded killings in the Philippines were indigenous peoples, three were small-scale farmers, a journalist and two others.

Joan Carling, executive director of Indigenous Peoples’ Rights International, attributed the killings to the government’s counter-insurgency programs and extractive projects.

Global Witness said the militarization of rural communities enabled the military to impose repressive measures, including red-tagging to portray defenders as communists or terrorists.

The watchdog cited the case of Veronico Anterio, a 65-year-old farmer who was allegedly shot for voicing opposition to the growing military presence in Samar.

‘Global Witness linked five of those killings to the armed forces, showing how, when attempts to criminalize defenders fail, the military reverts to more direct attacks,’ said Carling.

Cases with suspected links to organized crime were also recorded in the Philippines, along with five other Latin American countries.

Environmental group Kalikasan People’s Network for the Environment asked the government for genuine accountability for the attacks, calling it to ‘end the use of state forces and criminal proceedings to suppress peaceful opposition.’

From 2012 to 2025, the Philippines ranked third in the Global Witness statistics, with 318 recorded killings and disappearances of environmental defenders.

The Philippines is joined by Colombia, Brazil, Honduras, Mexico, Guatemala, Peru, Ecuador, Nicaragua and Tanzania in the 2025 report.

BSP honors Visayas institutionsfor advancing financial inclusion

The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) is leaning on banks, cooperatives and other institutions across the Visayas to broaden digital payments and financial access as economic activity accelerates outside the country’s traditional growth centers.

Nine institutions were recognized by the central bank on Sept. 14 for helping strengthen financial stability, expand access to financial services and promote digital payments and financial literacy across the region.

The push comes as the Visayas assumes a larger role in the Philippine economy. Western Visayas was the country’s fastest-growing region in 2025, while Central Visayas remained the largest regional economy outside Luzon, BSP Monetary Board Member Walter Wassmer said.

Eastern Visayas is also attracting new investment, including about P60 billion in energy projects, while a new international airport is expected to open in the region, he said.

The developments are increasing the need for financial infrastructure that can support businesses and households beyond major urban centers.

BSP Deputy Governor Bernadette Romulo-Puyat said maintaining confidence in the financial system requires cooperation with institutions that deliver banking, payments and cash services directly to communities.

‘When I think about what makes a financial system work well, I think about trust,’ Puyat said at the 2026 Outstanding BSP Stakeholders Appreciation Ceremony in Cebu City.

BSP needs partners to ensure that cash is available where it is needed, protect the currency from counterfeiting and keep financial services operating during emergencies, she said.

The institutions recognized this year have also helped bring digital payments closer to consumers through QR Ph Plus, while supporting the distribution of fit and genuine Philippine currency.

Financial literacy programs are another part of the effort, with the BSP seeking to improve consumers’ ability to manage money, make informed financial decisions and participate in the formal economy.

The awardees included eight BSP-supervised institutions: Land Bank of the Philippines-Cebu Osmeña Branch, Metropolitan Bank and Trust Co.-Cebu CMSU, LandBank Cash Operations Unit-Bacolod, LandBank-Dumaguete Branch, LandBank Cash Operations Unit-Iloilo, LandBank-Roxas Branch, LandBank-Tacloban Branch and BDO Network Bank-Iloilo Robinsons Branch.

Perpetual Help Community Cooperative was recognized under the private institutions and organizations category.

Wassmer said the partnerships allow the BSP’s mandates to reach communities and businesses more directly, particularly as the region’s economies expand.

‘With your support, we can better protect consumers, combat financial fraud, and strengthen public trust in our financial system,’ he said.

The Outstanding BSP Stakeholders Appreciation Ceremony has recognized institutions supporting the central bank’s mandates and advocacies since 2004.

The Cebu event followed earlier ceremonies covering Metro Manila, North Luzon and South Luzon. A similar recognition program for BSP partners in Mindanao is scheduled later this month.

Puyat said continued cooperation would be needed as financial services become more digital and the central bank seeks to build a system that is more inclusive and resilient.

‘More importantly, you are helping prepare Filipinos to navigate the future with greater knowledge and confidence,’ she said.

World Bank Group mobilises record $ 112 b private capital for developing countries, driving job creation

The World Bank Group said it has mobilised more private capital in fiscal year 2026 than in any year in its history and issued a record volume of guarantees, delivering on a goal shareholders and clients have pressed for years: putting more private capital to work alongside its own financing and expertise in developing economies.

Private capital mobilised by the World Bank Group has more than tripled over the past four years, rising from $ 35 billion in FY22 to $ 112 billion in FY26. Combined with the Group’s own financing, that brought total financing and mobilisation in developing economies to well over $ 200 billion in FY26.

The growth was broad-based. PCM to lower-middle-income countries rose from $ 14 billion in FY22 to $ 37 billion in FY26-nearly tripling. In upper-middle-income countries, it increased from $ 12 billion to $ 50 billion-more than quadrupling. In low-income countries, among the most challenging settings for private capital, PCM was maintained at about $ 3 billion. And across Africa, PCM rose from approximately $ 9 billion to $ 22 billion, an increase of nearly 150%.

The results reflect three years of changes across the World Bank Group to work more effectively with the private sector: becoming faster and simpler, bringing the public and private sides of the institution closer together, and expanding the tools available to investors.

‘We brought the World Bank Group together in each country, with a single point of contact across our public and private sector work, and began developing integrated strategies for each country based on its needs and development priorities.’ The World Bank Group said in a statement.

The Private Sector Investment Lab complimented that effort, helping to identify the practical barriers holding back investment in developing economies and developed a work plan to address them. The World Bank Group has pursued that agenda across the institution: improving the business and regulatory environment, expanding guarantees and local-currency financing, addressing foreign-exchange challenges, increasing equity tools, and advancing new ways for institutional investors to participate at scale.

The Group issued more than $ 25 billion in guarantees, surpassing its goal of $ 20 billion in annual issuance by 2030 four years ahead of schedule. This growth was led by the World Bank Group Guarantee Platform. Created in 2024, the Platform gives clients and investors a single, simpler point of access to guarantee products from across the institution.

‘Three years ago, our shareholders and clients were clear: utilise World Bank Group financing and knowledge to mobilise more private capital and become a better partner to the private sector. We changed how we work to do that-faster, simpler, and as one World Bank Group,’ World Bank Group President Ajay Banga said.

‘The result is $ 112 billion mobilised this year, more than three times where we started. But the number only matters if the capital goes where it can create opportunity and jobs. That is the work ahead: keep removing barriers, keep expanding the pool of investors, and keep driving more capital into developing economies.’

Job creation is the World Bank Group’s central priority. In developing economies, 1.2 billion young people will reach working age over the next 10 to 15 years, while only around 420 million jobs are projected to be created. The private sector creates nine out of 10 jobs in these economies.

The World Bank Group’s jobs strategy is centred around three mutually reinforcing drivers: investing in human and physical infrastructure; creating business ready regulatory environments; and helping the private sector scale. It targets five job-rich sectors where these fundamentals can unlock investment and employment at scale: infrastructure and energy, agribusiness, healthcare, tourism, and value-added manufacturing.

In FY26, 55% total financing, own account and capital mobilised, went to these job-rich sectors, helping turn stronger foundations and better policies into private investment, business growth, and jobs. That capital is not just concentrated in the most accessible markets. Private investment is not flowing only to the most accessible markets. It is reaching lower-income economies too, where regional and local investors increasingly complement global capital in financing businesses and creating jobs.

The World Bank Group is now working to build on that progress by expanding the range of investors able to participate. Through its originate-to-distribute (O2D) work, the Group is developing ways to package and distribute investments to institutional investors at greater scale-connecting more of the world’s pools of long-term capital with opportunities in developing economies.

The ambition is straightforward: mobilise more capital, from more sources, and put more of it to work creating jobs and economic opportunity.

In April, the World Bank Group launched a five-year Country Partnership Framework for Sri Lanka aimed at sustaining the country›s economic recovery, supporting a 7% medium-term growth target and driving job creation, as the country looks to absorb close to 1 million young jobseekers entering the labour market over the next decade.

The International Finance Corporation is to mobilise over $ 1 billion in direct and co-financed investment over five years, while the World Bank will provide up to $ 1 billion in low-interest financing over the next three years, deploying the full range of World Bank Group instruments, including financing, guarantees, advisory services and private capital mobilisation.

EDB seeks digital partner to take Sri Lanka’s ICT sector global

The Export Development Board (EDB) under the purview of the Industry and Entrepreneurship Development Ministry has called for Request for Proposals (RFPs) to appoint a professional service provider to revamp its website and execute a digital marketing campaign aimed at strengthening the global visibility of Sri Lanka’s ICT sector.

The selected service provider will be expected to bring expertise in website development and digital marketing, with the procurement designed to attract firms with both domestic and international project experience.

The procurement will be conducted under the National Competitive Bidding (NCB), Single Stage Two Envelope procedure specified under the National Procurement Guidelines 2024, and is open to eligible

bidders.

The move comes as Sri Lanka seeks to strengthen its positioning as an ICT and digital services destination and improve international visibility of its technology capabilities.

It also highlights an effort to place the country’s ICT capabilities on a more visible digital platform, combining targeted international marketing rather than relying solely on traditional export

promotion.

Eligibility requirements set a minimum bar of three years’ experience in website development and digital marketing solutions, including at least one year of international project experience.

Prospective service providers must also demonstrate experience in at least two similar website development projects involving content enhancement and maintenance, as well as two similar digital marketing projects, undertaken within the past five years.

Bidders will be required to submit a certified copy of their business registration and audited financial statements for the preceding three years. Firms that have been blacklisted will not be eligible for the contract.

The EDB has set 29 September 2026 as the deadline for submission of bids, with late submissions to be rejected.

A pre-bid meeting is scheduled for 10 a.m. on 21 September at the EDB, with all interested bidders invited to participate.

SOFAZ’s $72 billion to deploy as AI rewrites infrastructure market

Amid fluctuating interest rates in global financial markets and rising geoeconomic risks, sovereign wealth funds are taking more aggressive and strategic diversification steps to preserve the profitability of their portfolios. Israfil Mammadov, Executive Director of the State Oil Fund of the Republic of Azerbaijan (SOFAZ), visited Toronto in September as part of the ‘Canada Investment Summit 2026.’ The visit signals a new stage in the management of the Fund’s more than $72 billion in assets, with a particular focus on joint investments with global companies in real assets, alternative energy and digital infrastructure.

The most notable aspect of the visit was the meeting with the management of ‘Brookfield Asset Management,’ which has more than $1 trillion in assets under management. Partnering with such institutional players, which have more than 100 years of experience in global private markets, provides SOFAZ with an opportunity for proper risk allocation. Looking at existing statistics, more than 55% of SOFAZ’s investment portfolio consists of fixed-income securities, more than 20% of equities, around 10% of real estate, and 10%-12% of gold assets. However, the fact that global inflation has remained in the 3%-5% range over the past three years and uncertainties in the monetary policies of central banks show that traditional directions may not fully ensure the expected real returns. In this regard, directing SOFAZ capital toward real infrastructure projects protected against inflation and with a target annual return of around 8%-12% is a strategic move.

It is true that the traditional understanding of infrastructure from the last century has now changed fundamentally. Today, when we talk about ‘infrastructure,’ digital centers and green energy generators are primarily meant. As a result of the rapid development of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies, the energy consumption of data centers has increased sharply. According to estimates, global data centers’ demand for electricity will at least double by 2030, reaching 1,000 terawatt-hours (TWh). This requires hundreds of billions of dollars in investment in the digitalization and renewable energy sectors over the next 5-10 years. This trend is also at the center of the discussions with ‘Brookfield’: becoming a partner in infrastructure capable of meeting the enormous energy demand created by digitalization.

The growing demand for electricity from data centers also creates a direct link between two investment themes that were previously considered separate: digital infrastructure and energy infrastructure. As computing capacity expands, investors increasingly need to consider the availability, reliability and long-term cost of electricity alongside the physical infrastructure required for data storage and processing. This makes renewable energy generation, power transmission networks and other supporting infrastructure increasingly relevant to long-term institutional investment strategies.

On the other hand, Canada’s pension and investment fund management model is considered the gold standard in the global market. The Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB) alone manages more than $600 billion in assets. The meetings held by SOFAZ management with institutions such as CPPIB, PSP Investments and the Canada Development Fund, as well as with Japan’s GPIF fund, whose assets exceed $1.5 trillion, are critical in terms of institutional exchange of experience. Establishing co-investment mechanisms on such platforms creates an opportunity for SOFAZ to enter large projects with a 5%-15% stake, where entering alone would be risky, and to minimize risks.

For a sovereign wealth fund, such cooperation also provides access to investment structures, management expertise and international networks that would be more difficult to develop independently. Co-investment allows large institutional investors to share the capital requirements and risks associated with major infrastructure projects while retaining exposure to long-term assets. This model can therefore complement SOFAZ’s existing portfolio structure without requiring a fundamental shift away from its established investment principles.

In conclusion, SOFAZ’s contacts in Toronto show that the Fund is rapidly transforming from a passive capital accumulator during the oil boom era into an active investor model that anticipates global trends. Diversifying even 5%-8% of the $58 billion portfolio into the high-return energy transition and digital infrastructure projects of the future will guarantee that the value of the massive capital accumulated for future generations will continue to grow at a rate exceeding inflation over the coming decades.

Namal further remanded till Tuesday

Parliamentarian Namal Rajapaksa, who was arrested by the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) over allegations of accepting a Rs. 100 million bribe in connection with the purchase of Airbus aircraft, was yesterday ordered to be further remanded until 29 September, by the Colombo Chief Magistrate.

The Magistrate directed the defence counsel to file a written bail application on 22 September and directed the Bribery Commission, the complainant in the case, to file its objections by 25 September.

The Magistrate further stated that the bail order would be delivered on 29 September.

Sh38bn Nairobi railway hub project bets on Rwanda-style sports arena

Nairobi is set for a 10,000-seater indoor sports and entertainment arena as part of a $294.49 million (Sh38.14 billion) Railway City development that will mirror Rwanda’s model of using a multipurpose venue to attract major sporting, business and entertainment events.

The planned arena will form the centrepiece of the Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions (MICE) Core Centre being developed at the Nairobi Railway Station area, with a hotel, serviced apartments, retail outlets and other entertainment facilities planned around it.

The development is being undertaken by Guernsey-headquartered Zaria Group through its local subsidiary, Metroarena Development Company.

The project forms part of the wider 172-hectare Railway City redevelopment initiative that seeks to expand the capital’s capacity to host major sporting, business and entertainment events, disclosures on the project showed.

‘By stimulating commercial activity and attracting local and international events, the MICE-Core Arena is expected to catalyse growth in the tourism and MICE economy and investment in the surrounding precincts,’ the disclosure said.

The project will partly draw from Rwanda’s experience. After construction, the Kenyan arena will be operated by QA Venue Solutions, a Zaria Group management affiliate that already manages the 10,000-seat BK Arena and Amahoro Stadium in Kigali.

Management contracts for the Nairobi facility are set on renewable 15-year terms, with the intention that QA Venue Solutions will continue managing the arena indefinitely.

The Nairobi project comes as African cities compete for international sporting tournaments, concerts, conferences and exhibitions, with modern venues increasingly being developed as commercial and tourism assets.

The Democratic Republic of Congo is, for instance, developing a 20,000-seat Kinshasa Arena, which is being positioned as one of Africa’s largest indoor venues. The project, estimated at $105 million (Sh13.6 billion), is designed to host basketball, concerts, exhibitions, and other major events.

The DRC arena will exceed the scale of BK Arena and the Dakar Arena in Senegal (15,000 capacity), both of which have become key assets in attracting international competitions and entertainment programming such as the Basketball Africa League (BAL).

Kenya hopes to benefit from such events. Rwanda’s BK Arena, which cost about $104 million (Sh13.5 billion) and was opened in August 2019, describes itself as the largest fully covered arena in East Africa.

The BK Arena hosted the inaugural BAL season in 2021 and the league’s playoffs and finals in subsequent years. It has also hosted other major entertainment events, including American R and B singer Ne-Yo, who performed at the venue in 2019.

Kenya hopes to replicate similar success by using its arena to benefit from the growing sports, entertainment and events economy that also grows tourism.

Kenya Railways

Kenya Railways’ Nairobi Central Station.

File | Nation Media Group

Details of the planned project in Nairobi show the centrepiece will be a five-storey, multi-purpose indoor arena with a seating capacity of up to 10,000 people, depending on the event configuration.

The sports arena is designed to accommodate sporting activities such as basketball. However, the document shows the facility is also planned for conferences, banquets and other events, giving it a wider commercial use beyond sports.

The arena will have an estimated built-up area of 11,680 square metres, comprising 5,575 square metres for seating and arena functions and another 4,045 square metres for back-of-house facilities.

The development will be supported by a three-level public podium, with the ground and first floors dedicated to parking. The second floor will provide the main public realm, including a central pedestrian boulevard connecting different parts of the development.

The plans also provide for retail outlets, restaurants, food and beverage facilities, leisure uses, sports-related public activation zones and a public plaza for spectators and visitors.

An amphitheater and public performance space are also planned alongside parking structures, servicing facilities, landscaping, lighting, wayfinding and smart infrastructure.

The hotel component will comprise a 140-key branded facility, while the serviced apartment tower will provide 70 units. The combination of the sports arena with the hotel, apartment, and parking lot makes the development a mixed-use destination.

The location is intended to give the project access to Nairobi’s main transport corridors while placing it immediately south of the central business district. The site can be accessed through Haile Selassie Avenue, Workshop Road via Bunyala Road and Uhuru Highway.

The project is part of the government’s broader plan to transform the railway station area into a multi-modal, transit-oriented urban centre incorporating commercial, residential and transport infrastructure.

‘The project will contribute to increased government revenue through various tax streams and statutory levies associated with both the construction and operational phases of the proposed development plus long-term land-lease revenue and a gross revenue share to Kenya Railways Corporation,’ the Kenya Railways Corporation disclosure said.

The Nairobi Railway City is a green city of office blocks, malls, and a light industrial hub aimed at decongesting the city’s central business district, and was initially meant to be completed by 2027.

The project will involve the installation of approximately 45kilometres(km) of new track in and around the yard of the present central railway station, including fittings and concrete sleepers.

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An aerial view of Nairobi City overlooking the Kenya Railways Headquarters.

Francis Nderitu | Nation

The upgrade will also entail the construction of a new station management block, a new accommodation block to the east of the station entrance, refurbishment of the existing station building, four new passenger platforms, including refurbishment and expansion of the existing platforms, food and beverage outlets, and repurposing and refurbishment of the Easy Coach House heritage building.

The project will further involve the establishment of a new freight marshalling yard at Makadara yard and the installation of approximately 11km of new track, including fittings and concrete sleepers.

BFAR vessel hit by China Coast Guard ship

A China Coast Guard (CCG) vessel ‘intentionally rammed’ a ship of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) about 54 nautical miles off the coast of Palawan on Friday, the Philippine Coast Guard said.

PCG spokesman for the West Philippine Sea Rear Admiral Jay Tarriela said the CCG vessel struck the BRP Datu Magat Salamat at around 11 a.m. while the Philippine vessel was conducting a fisherfolk assistance mission.

‘It was not a collision. It was an intentional ramming done by the CCG-21585,’ Tarriela said.

Tarriela said the BFAR vessel was carrying out a mission to provide fuel subsidies and food packs to Filipino fishermen in the Kalayaan Island Group following weeks of monsoon rains.

‘The objective of the BFAR deployment is purely humanitarian. It is not conducting operations that provoked anybody or any state,’ he said.

The contact damaged the main railings on the starboard side, metal stanchions and support structures as well as deck fixtures and equipment. No injuries were reported.

‘Even after the collision, CCG-21585 conducted yet another dangerous maneuver, passing dead astern at a distance of only about five meters,’ Tarriela said.

‘This kind of behavior of the Chinese government is an outright violation of the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) Convention and the collision regulations,’ Tarriela added.

The Chinese embassy, however, disputed the Philippine account, saying the incident was a collision caused by the BRP Datu Magat Salamat after it ignored warnings from the CCG vessel and accelerated after altering its course.

The BRP Datu Magat Salamat was refloated Thursday after running aground at Hasa-Hasa Shoal during its operations.

Tarriela said it would be docked at Coron Port for an assessment of its seaworthiness.

He said the CCG’s 215 series consists of smaller, faster and more agile vessels capable of intercepting ships in the West Philippine Sea.

The decision on whether to file a diplomatic protest will be left to the Department of Foreign Affairs, while the PCG would continue supporting the remaining BFAR vessels in their supply missions to Filipino fisherfolk.