President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. traveled to Palawan on July 23 to personally honor two Philippine Navy servicemen injured in an encounter with the China Coast Guard near Ayungin Shoal, conferring the Order of Lapu-Lapu on both men at Camp Ricarte Station Hospital, the Western Command station hospital in Puerto Princesa City, according to the Philippine Information Agency.

The honorees were Seaman First Class Underwater Operator Carmelo J. Aballe, 33, and Private Eric B. Lacida, 24, both deployed aboard the BRP Sierra Madre, the grounded ship that serves as the country’s outpost at the shoal. Aballe suffered a head injury that required four stitches; Lacida sustained abrasions on his hand. Both were reported in stable condition. Alongside the decoration, each received P100,000 in special financial assistance, separate from their regular Armed Forces benefits, the PIA reported.

What Happened at Ayungin Shoal

The injuries came three days earlier, on July 20, when Philippine Navy personnel and China Coast Guard members confronted each other near the shoal, which sits in the West Philippine Sea and is internationally known as Second Thomas Shoal. The Armed Forces of the Philippines said a China Coast Guard member struck a Navy sailor on the head with a wooden baton and that a Philippine military rubber boat was damaged, Philstar.com reported.

The AFP said the Chinese personnel acted “violently and aggressively,” and vowed that Philippine troops would continue what it called lawful missions in the West Philippine Sea. Beijing gave a different account: Chinese officials claimed Philippine vessels rammed a Chinese patrol boat and that Filipino personnel initiated the confrontation, according to the Manila Bulletin. Ayungin Shoal is one of several features in the South China Sea where Philippine and Chinese claims overlap.

‘The Anger of the Filipino People’

Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. said the President expressed “the anger of the Filipino people” over what he called “that unjustifiable incident,” state-run PTV News reported. Palace officials added that Mr. Marcos wants future incidents at sea prevented and bilateral relations improved. During the hospital visit, the President personally checked on the condition of both servicemen and assured the Armed Forces of the government’s full support.

Why This Story Hits Home in Las Vegas

A community note from the Philippine Times of Southern Nevada: For many Filipino-American families in Las Vegas and across Southern Nevada, news from Ayungin Shoal is not distant geopolitics. Naval service runs deep in our community’s story — generations of Filipino families, including many who later settled in Nevada, came to America through service in the U.S. Navy and other branches, and plenty of households here still count active-duty sailors, veterans, and relatives serving in the Philippine armed forces.

When two young servicemen are decorated in a hospital ward in Puerto Princesa, families here understand what that moment means: pride, worry, and the hope that the young men and women who stand watch come home safe. Whatever one’s view of the wider dispute, honoring the injured is something this community recognizes instinctively.

Read the Full Print Coverage

This story ran as the front-page lead in our July 26, 2026 print edition, available to read in full online. You can also browse our latest issue, the August 24, 2026 edition, and catch up on more Filipino community news and stories from the Philippine Times of Southern Nevada.