The document provides details about the Kalayaan Group of Islands, a disputed archipelago in the South China Sea claimed by multiple countries. It describes the islands that make up the group and notes they are currently under control of the Philippines, Taiwan, and Vietnam. The Philippines claims sovereignty based on historical assertions and the islands lying within its EEZ. It occupies Pagasa Island, West York Island, Parola Island, Lawak Island, Kota Island, Patag Island, and Panata Island. Taiwan occupies Itu Aba Island and controls Zhongzhou Reef. The document outlines the geography and environment of the islands and notes ongoing disputes over territory in the region.

3. KALAYAAN GROUP OF ISLANDS
Kalayaan
 This municipality became part of the
Philippine Territory on July 11, 1987 through
Presidential Decree No. 1596
 issued by the late President Ferdinand E.
Marcos, declaring the surrounding waters as
part of the Philippine and as a municipality
under the provincial and administrative
jurisdiction of Palawan.

4. History
 The Philippine assertion of sovereignty
over the Spratly Islands began in May
1956.
 In September 1956, after the Republic
of China occupied the largest
island, Ligao Island (Itu Aba), Tomas
Cloma decided to cede and sell all the
territories of his state to the Philippines
for just one peso (US$0.50 of the time).

5.  In 1978, the Philippine Presidential
Decree No. 1596 underscored the fact
that Kalayaan is within the Philippine
200-mile exclusive economic zone. On
the whole the Philippine claim extends
over an area of 70,150 sq. nm.

6. Republic Act 1952
- Republic Act 9522, which defined the
archipelagic baselines of the
Philippines, claimed sovereignty over the
Kalayaan Island Group under Section
2, sub-paragraph A which described the
territory as a "Regime of Islands"—a concept
defined in the United Nation Convention on
Law of the Sea for similar bodies of land.

7. Geography
The Municipality of Kalayaan is
located in the western section of
the Province of Palawan. It is
composed of six (6) islets, two (2)
cays (parts of larger reefs) and
two (2) reefs with aggregate land
area of approximately 79
hectares.

8. Pagasa (Thitu) Island
Likas (West York) Island
Parola Island (Northeast Cay)
Kota (Loaita) Island
Lawak (Nanshan) Island, and
Pugad Island (Southwest Cay).
Two small islands:
Patag (Flat) Island and
Panata Island (Lankiam Cay), were also
occupied. Both are less than a hectare in size.

9. TOPOGRAPHY
The islets that comprise the
Municipality are generally flat.
The highest ground elevation is
approximately two (2) meters
above sea level.

11. FILIPINOS IN PAGASA ISLAND

12. Demographic profile
Population: no indigenous
population
Ethnic groups: various
According to the 2010 census, it has a
population of 222 people.

13. POPULATION CENSUS OF KALAYAAN
Year
Population
±%
1990
50
___
1995
349
+598.0%
2000
223
−36.1%
2005
114
−48.9%
2010
222
+94.7%

14. Transportation
Rancudo Airfield
- Pag-asa island hosts a 1,300 meter
runway constructed in the early 70s on
orders of MGEN Jose Rancudo, Commanding
General of the Philippine Air Forces. In
February 1992, the Armed Forces of the
Philippines named the runway "Rancudo
Airfield" in honor of its architect.

15. TELECOMMUNICATIONS
 The first call on the system took place on
June 12 at 5:18 PM between the mayor of
the municipality at the time and a Smart
Telecom executive. The company completed
a maintenance visit to the cell site in
2011, thus ensuring continued operation of
the facility.

16. POLITICS
 The first ever recorded election in Kalayaan during
the post Marcos dictatorship was on January
30, 1980 where Mr. Aloner M. Heraldo was elected
as the first Municipal Mayor.
 On january 18, 1988 the Municipality of Kalayaan
after the Marcos regime was “demilitarized” and
the first appointed Mayor was Alejandro Rodriguez
was subsequently replaced by his appointed Vicemayor Gaudencio R. Avencena.
 The first free election in Kalayaan was held on May
11, 1992.

17. The current Mayor of Municipality of Kalayaan
is Eugenio B. Bito-Onon Jr. He won his
second term as Mayor on May 13, 2013.

19. Features
Pagasa Island (Thitu Island)
Likas Island (West York Island)
Parola Island (Northeast Cay)
Lawak Island (Nanshan Island)
Kota Island (Loaita Island)
Patag Island (Flat Island)
Panata Island (Lankiam Cay)
Rizal Reef (Commodore Reef)
Balagtas Reef (Irving Reef)
Ayungin reef (Second Thomas reef)
Details
37.2 ha. (2nd largest), pag-asa means hope
18.6 ha. (3rd
largest), líkas means natural or evacuate
12.7 ha. (5th largest), parola means lighthouse
7.93 ha. (8th largest), lawak means vastness
6.45 ha. (10th largest), kuta means fortress
0.57 ha. (14th largest), patag means flat
0.44 ha. (15th largest and the
smallest), panatâ means vow
Rizal is named after Dr. José P. Rizal, the national
hero of the Philippines
Balagtás is named after Francisco Balagtas, a
famous Filipino poet
Ayungin is Leopotherapon plumbeus,a
Phlippine –endemic fish species.

20. Spratly Islands
–are a disputed group
of more than 750
reefs, islets, atolls,
cays, and islands in the
South China Sea.
-No native islanders
inhabit the islands
which offer rich fishing
grounds and may
contain significant oil
and natural gas
reserves.

21. THE MAP

22. Taiwan
(ROC)
China
(PRC)
Taiping
Island
/ Itu Aba
Cuarteron Reef
Flat Island
Fiery Cross Reef
Half Moon
Shoal
Lankiam Cay
Zhongz
hou
Reef
Gaven Reefs
Johnson South
Reef
Mischief Reef
Subi Reef
Philippines
Loaita Island
Nanshan Island
Northeast Cay
Thitu Island
West York
Island
Vietnam Malaysia
Amboyna
Cay
Namyit
Island
Sin Cowe
Island
Spratly
Island
Sand Cay
Southwest
Cay
Swallow Reef
Ardasier Reef
Dallas Reef
Erica Reef
Investigator
Shoal
Louisa Reef
Mariveles
Reef
Luconia
Shoals
James Shoal

24. ISLANDS UNDER THE CONTROL OF
PHILIPPINES

25. Basis of
Philippines
• The Philippines base their
claims of sovereignty over
the Spratlys on the issues of Res nullius and geography. The
Philippines contend their claim was Res nullius as there was
no effective sovereignty over the islands until the 1930s
when France and then Japan acquired the islands.
• Philippines lie within its 200-mile Exclusive Economic
Zone according to the 1982 United Nations Convention on
the Law of the Sea. This argument still requires that the
islands were res nullius, though. The Philippines also
argue, under maritime law that the People's Republic of
China can not extend its baseline claims to the Spratlys
because the PRC is not an archipelagic state.

26. PAG-ASA ISLAND
The second
largest Spratly
Island and the
largest of
all Philippineoccupied Spratly
Islands.
Also called Thitu
Island
Having an area of
37.2 hectares.

30. STATION OF
SOLDIERS
IN PAG-ASA

31. West York
Island
 or Likas Island comes from “Likas” is
the Tagalog rootword of kalikasan which
means nature.
 having an area of 18.6 hectares, is the third
largest island of the Spratly Island chain in South
China.
 the second largest island among Philippine-occupied
Spratly islands.
claimed by China, Republic of China
(Taiwan) and Vietnam.

32.  West York Island (Likas) belongs to the
Municipality of Kalayaan, Palawan.
 Kalayaan, Palawan is the only municipality
in the Philippines to have a
single barangay.
 Barangays are political subdivisions that
comprises Philippine municipalities
and cities.
 Pagasa Island (Thitu) the only barangay in
Kalayaan which has about 300 civilian
population.

33. 
Kalayaan municipal officials proposed that this
island be populated with civilian settlers within
the coming year.
 Likas' land area is only 50% of Pagasa's and only
naval vessels are currently capable of reaching
the island. An estimate of 300 million pesos
(US$7.5M) will be needed to construct an airstrip,
a docking site, some land reclamation and other
structures necessary to support an isolated
community.

35. 

covered with low
vegetation and scrub.
Outcrops are visible
on the southern and
eastern portion of
the island during low
tides.
is considered a
sanctuary for
giant sea turtles that
lay their eggs on the
island all year round.

36. Structures and
Environment
There are no buildings on the
island, except for the ruins of houses
built by the Japanese soldiers
during World War II, and a small
Philippine observation post, where
Filipino soldiers stationed are taking
shelter.

37. Parola Island

38. LIGHTHOUSE IN PAROLA
 Parola is
the Tagalog (adapted
from Spanish
language) word for a
lighthouse.
 is also claimed by
the People's Republic
of China, Republic of
China
(Taiwan) and Vietnam

39. History
In 1968, Philippines troop occupied Northeast
Cay (Parola Island, Song Tu Dong) and
Southwest Cay (Pugad Island, Song Tu Tay).
In 1975, Southwest Cay was captured by
South Vietnam and was taken over by later
unified Vietnam. The Philippines continued
to occupying the Northeast Cay until now.

40. Parola Island can be considered as the second top
priority of the Philippines for protection, after
Pagasa Island, since it is very near Vietnameseoccupied Pugad Island.
There are only one to two structures in this island
that serve as shelters of the soldiers.

41. - The corals around the island were mostly
destroyed by rampant use of dynamite fishing
and cyanide method employed by non-Filipino
fishing boats in the past.
-It also has guano deposits.

43. LAWAK ISLAND
 Nanshan Island
 Lawak means"vastness”
 is the eighth largest island of Spratly
Islands and the fourth largest among Philippineoccupied Spratly islands.
administered by the Philippines as part
of Kalayaan, Palawan.
 claimed by the People's Republic of
China, Republic of China (Taiwan), and Vietnam.

44. Environment
- a bird sanctuary. Its
surroundings are highly phosphatized
that superphosphate materials can be
mined out on a small-scale basis.

46.  Patag island or Flat Island is the second
smallest island of Spratly Islands. It is the sixth largest
among the Philippine-occupied Spratly islands.
Environment
- is a low, flat and sandy. It takes the shape of an
elongated one for some years now and a shape like
that of a crescent moon for few years ago and it
formed the shape of a letter "S" in the past.

49.  this is also called as the Lankiam Cay
which is the smallest island of Spratly
islands.
It is the seventh largest among Philippineoccupied islands.
It has an area of 0.44 hectares (4,400 sq. m).
 It is located 8 miles (13 km) northeast of
Philippine-occupied Loaita Island.
 This island is administered by the
Philippines as part of Kalayaan, Palawan.

52. Kota Island
or Loaita Island is the tenth
largest Spratly island and the
fifth largest Philippine-occupied
Spratly island.
 It is located 22 miles (35 km)
southeast of Philippineoccupied Thitu Island (Pagasa
Island) and 22 miles (35 km)
north-northeast of Taiwanoccupied Itu Aba Island.
This island is administered by
the Philippines as part
of Kalayaan, Palawan.
 Kota is a Philippine word for
a fort.

54. HALF MOON SHOAL
 is a shoal in Spratly Islands of South China
Sea. China and the Philippines have competing
claims over the shoal.
 It is located 100 km from Palawan, in the
Philippines.
 A Chinese frigate, Type 053560, ran aground on
the shoal on 11 July 2012.The base of the frigate
is in Mischief Reef, located 76 nautical miles
away.

55. A CHINESE
FRIGATE
053 560

57. PANATA REEF
Lankiam Cay
Panata means “oath”
is the smallest island of Spratly islands. It is
the seventh largest among Philippineoccupied islands.
administered by the Philippines as part
of Kalayaan, Palawan.
claimed by the People's Republic of
China, Republic of China
(Taiwan), and Vietnam.

59. ISLANDS UNDER THE CONTROL OF
PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF CHINA
(TAIWAN)

60. BASIS FOR PRC'S AND ROC'S CLAIMS
 China claims to have discovered the
islands in the Han Dynasty in 2 BC.
 Since the Yuan Dynasty in the 12th
century, several islands that may be
the Spratlys have been labeled as
Chinese territory, followed by the Ming
Dynast and the Qing Dynasty from the
13th to 19th Century.

61. • In 1755,archaeological
surveys the remains
of Chinese pottery and coins
have been found in the
islands and are cited as proof
for the PRC claim.

62.  Also called as Taiping island and
 is the largest of the Spratly Islands in
the South China Sea, and the only one
where fresh water is available.
 is part of the Tizard Bank or Zheng He
reef, one of seven reefs in the Spratly
Islands near the centre of the South
China Sea.

63. is elliptical in shape being 1.4 km in
length and 0.4 km in width.
Administered by the Republic of
China (Taiwan)
It is also claimed by the People's
Republic of China, the
Philippines and Vietnam.

64. ROCAF C-130H AT TAIPING ISLAND AIRPORT
Taiping Airport
- is an airport
on Taiping
Island belonging
to the Republic
of China
(Taiwan), and
managed by
the Republic of
China Air
Force.

65. ZHONGZHOU REEF
-is a small coral reef within
the Spratly Islands
currently occupied
by Taiwan, under the
administration of Cijin
District, Kaohsiung.
-claimed
by China, Vietnam and the
Philippines.
-As many as 51 species of
migratory birds inhabit
the reef for short stays.
The surrounding waters
contain a rich marine
ecosystem with plentiful
stag horn coral.

66.  The reef has no groundwater source.
Though currently uninhabited by
humans, the ROC coast guard sends
regular patrols via M8 speedboats from
nearby Taiping Island which circle the
reef, in addition to landing inspections
and ecological surveys.
 ROC government has revealed plans to
construct permanent marking facilities
and a lighthouse to facilitate vessel
navigation.

67. BAN THAN REEF
Lies 3 miles (5 km) east of Itu-Aba Island
and 3 miles (5 km) west of Vietnamese
occupied Sand Cay.
Small drying reef halfway between Taiwanoccupied Itu Aba and Vietnam-occupied
Sand Cay.
Has a structure and is garrisoned by some
soldiers.
Occupied since 1995
Part of Tizard Banks

69. REPUBLIC OF CHINA

70. CUARTERON REEF
is a reef in Spratly Islands of South
China Sea. It is controlled by China as
part of Sansha, and claimed by
the Philippines as part of Kalayaan,
Palawan. It has a supply platform and
a reef fortress.

73. FIERY CROSS REEF
 also known as "Yongshu Reef“
 is a group of reefs in Spratly Islands in South China Sea.
It is controlled by China as part of Sansha.
 As of 2011, designated the PRC main command
headquarters; equipped with satellite data
transmission, surface and air search radars; armed with
at least four high-powered naval guns and several gun
emplacements.
 claimed by the Philippines as part
of Kalayaan, Palawan.

75. Fiery Cross
Reef

76. Gaven reef
 is a group of two reefs in Spratly
Islands of South China Sea.
 Occupied since 1988.
 are controlled by China as part
of Sansha, and claimed by
the Philippines and Vietnam.
 a supply platform and a reef fortress. The
supply platform has anti-aircraft
guns, naval guns, search radars and radio
communications equipment.

79. HUGHES REEF
Lies 9 miles (14 km) to the east of Sin Cowe
Island. Naturally above water at least at
low tide. Occupied since 1988. Part of
Union Banks.

80. JOHNSON SOUTH REEF
 or Chigua Reef or Gạc Ma Reef
 is a reef in the Spratly Islands in
the South China Sea controlled by
the People's Republic of China (PRC).
 Naturally above water only at low tide,
but many rocks above water at high tide.

82. MISCHIEF
REEF
-Panganiban
-is a large reef in the Spratly
Islands in South China Sea.
-It has a lagoon.
controlled by the People's Republic of
China, and claimed by the Republic of
China (Taiwan), Philippines
and Vietnam.

84. Subi reef
-or Zhubi Reef
-is a reef in the Spratly Islands of the South
China Sea located 16 miles (26 km)
southwest of Philippine-occupied Thitu
Island.
-The People's Republic of China has
constructed 3-story buildings, wharfs, and a
helipad in the area.
-is also claimed by the Republic of China
(Taiwan), Philippines, and Vietnam.

86. FIRST THOMAS REEF
A few rocks are permanently above
sea level. Much of the reef is
above water at low tide. Encloses
a lagoon.

87. WHITSON REEF
 Some rocks naturally above water at
high tide. Part of Union Banks.

88. AYUNGIN REEF
 is 105.77 nautical
miles from
Palawan.
 It is about 21
nautical miles from
Mischief
Reef, which was
occupied by China
in 1995.

90. SOCIALIST REPUBLIC OF
VIETNAM

91. Basis of
Vietnam’s
Claim
 Vietnam's view is that the Chinese records do not
constitute the declaration and exercise of
sovereignty and that China did not declare
sovereignty over the Spratlys until after World War
II.
 On the other hand, Vietnam claims the Spratlys
based on international law on declaring and
exercising sovereignty.
 In Đại Nam nhất thống toàn, an atlas of Vietnam
completed in 1838, Trường Sa was shown as
Vietnamese territory.

92. Amboyna Cay
or An Bang
Island ( Lagos)
Pulau Amboyna
Kecil) is
an island of Spratly
Islands in South
China Sea.
 it is the thirteenth
largest Spratly island
and the sixth largest
among Vietnameseoccupied Spratly
islands.

93. Namyit Island
 With an area of 5.3
hectares, it is the
twelfth largest
Spratly island and
the fifth largest
among the
Vietnameseadministered
Spratly islands.
 is also claimed by
the People's
Republic of China,
the Philippines and
the Republic of
China (Taiwan).

95. Sand
Cay
 or Son Ca Island
 is a cay in Spratly Islands of South China Sea. With an area
of 7 hectares, it is the ninth largest island and the fourth
largest Vietnamese-occupied island in the Spratly Islands.
 has no source of natural fresh water, but the islet's coral
sand is covered with a thin layer of fertile hummus mixing
with guano. The vegetation mainly composes of
Barringtonia asiatica, Ipomoea pes-caprae and
Casuarinaceae's species as well as some kinds of grass.In
recent years, islanders have cultivated fruit trees such as
pomelo, jackfruit, dragonfruit, sugar-apple and guava.

96. SIN COWE ISLAND

is an island in theSpratly
Islands in the South China
Sea. With an area of 8
hectares, it is the seventh
largest Spratly island and the
third largest among
Vietnamese-occupied Spratly
islands.

is occupied by Vietnam since
1974, first by the Republic of
Vietnam's ARVN Navy, followed
by the Navy of the Socialist
Republic of Vietnam after
1975.

also claimed by the People's
Republic of
China, the Republic of China
(Taiwan) and the Philippines.
It is part of Union Banks.[1]

97. Vietnamese
sovereignty
marker on Sin
Cowe Island (景
宏岛, Dao Sinh
Ton), Spratly
Islands

99. Southwest
Cay
 is an islet in the northern edge of Spratly
Islands in South China Sea. It is part of
North Danger Reef, and just 1.75 miles from
Northeast Cay.
 an area of 12 hectares, it is the sixth largest
Spratly island and the second largest among
the Vietnamese-occupied Spratly islands.
 claimed by the People's Republic of
China, Republic of China (Taiwan) and the
Philippines.

100. UNDER THE CONTROL OF MALAYSIA

101. Basis of
Malaysia’s
Claim
Malaysia's claims are based upon the
continental shelf principle, and have clearly
defined coordinates. This argument still
requires that the islands were res nullius.
Res nullius (lit: nobody's property) is a Latin term derived
from Roman law whereby res (an object in the legal
sense, anything that can be owned, even a slave, but not a
subject in law such as a citizen) is not yet the object of rights
of any specific subject.

102. Layang-Layang
Reef
 Controlled by Malaysia
 Also called as swallow
reef
 Is the only islands in the
Spratlys with regular
flights.
 it is rated as a "Big fish
and Wall Diving Mecca of
Southeast Asia", to
which divers from all
over the globe are
attracted to.

105.  Gabriela Silang
Erica reef
 is small, almost circular, with an
outside radius about 1 km.
 is located on 24km east-northeast
of Mariveles Reef.

106. Dallas
Reef
 Rajah Matanda in the Philippines,
lies 26km north of Swallow Reef.
 it has a completely enclosed shallow lagoon
15m deep, stretching east to west. It looks
larger than neighboring triangular
shaped Ardasier Reef which is just 9km east.
 As with all of the Spratly Islands, the
ownership of the atoll is disputed, but it is
controlled by Malaysia and claimed by
the People's Republic of China, Republic of
China (Taiwan)and Vietnam.

107. TIZARD BANK

108. ARDASIER REEF




known as Guangxingzai Jiao in China
Terumbu Ubi in Malaysia
Antonio Luna in the Philippines
is triangular shaped and lies 26km
north-northeast of Swallow Reef.

110. Mariveles reef
 59km slightly east
of north from
Layang Layang
Island, dries at
high tide enclosing
two large lagoons
in a figure of eight
formation with a
sand cay between
them.

111. REASONS FOR DISPUTE
1.Hydrocarbons
- In 1968, oil was discovered in the region. The
Geology and Mineral Resources Ministry of the
People's Republic of China (PRC) has estimated that
the Spratly area holds oil and natural gas reserves of
17.7 billion tons (1.60 × 1010 kg), as compared to
the 13 billion tons (1.17 × 1010 kg) held
by Kuwait, placing it as the fourth largest reserve bed
in the world.
- On 11 March 1976, the first major Philippine
oil discovery occurred off the coast of Palawan, near
the Spratly Islands territory. As of 2010, these oil
fields accounted for fifteen percent of all petroleum
consumed in the Philippines.

112. 2. Commercial fishing
- An additional motive is the region's role as one of
the world's most productive areas for commercial
fishing.
There have already been numerous clashes between
the PRC, the Philippines and other nations over
"foreign" fishing vessels in its Exclusive Economic
Zone(EEZ) and the media regularly report the
arrest of Chinese fishermen.

113. 3. Commercial shipping
- The region is also one of the busiest shipping
lanes in the world. During the 1980s, at least two
hundred and seventy ships passed through the
Spratly Islands region each day, and currently
more than half of the world's supertanker traffic,
by tonnage, passes through the region's waters
every year.

114. REFERENCES
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands_
dispute
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kalayaan,_Pala
wan
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philippines_and_
the_Spratly_Islands
https://www.facebook.com/spratlyislandsph