As the poblacion (administrative center) of the Kalayaan municipality of Palawan province in the Philippines, it also administers nearly a dozen other islets, cays and reefs in the Spratly Islands.
[6] Civilian infrastructures in the island include the airstrip, a lighthouse, a 5-bed lying-in clinic, a communication tower powered by Smart, and a small integrated elementary and high school.
It is sometimes incorrectly referred to as "Tiezhi Island" from the Mandarin reading (Chinese: 鐵峙島/铁峙岛; pinyin: Tiězhì Dǎo; lit.
[12][13] There are historical records of the island having been inhabited, at various times in history, by fishermen from Champa in present-day Vietnam and the Chinese, and during the Second World War by French Indochina and Imperial Japanese troops.
[14][15][16] In June 1763, the British ship Earl Temple sank on the reefs of Thitu Island en route to Manila.
In May 1956, Tomás Cloma, a Philippine national, landed on several of the islands, claiming that he had discovered them and enjoyed the rights associated with discovery-occupation.
[20] On October 1, 1956, at Bei Zi Reef in the South China Sea[21][22][23] (called North Danger Reef in [24]), two nationalist Chinese ships - namely, the Ning Yuan (寧遠) flotilla of the Republic of China Navy (ROC),[21] containing ROC naval vessels Taihe and Yongshun [22][23]- approached Cloma's expedition with the boat PMI-IV [25][26][27][28] "and invited Captain Cloma (and Chief Engineer Benito Danseco, and other crew members[22][23]) and aboard (the naval vessel Tai He [22][23]) for a conference.
A 4-hour [26] discussion over ownership ensued, during which Cloma was below deck, unaware that a boarding party had searched his vessel and confiscated all arms/ammunition,[29][30][31][26][28] maps and documents.
Captain Cloma found that the houses on Ciriaco and Irenea had been removed, and the buildings on Abad Santos Island burned down.
According to the 155th page of the second episode of "The Land Salary" published by the Republic of China(Taiwan) Marine Corps Command, the Republic of China Navy detachment that arrived at Zhongye Island on the same day found that the Philippine Marine Corps was on the island, and Captain Hao Deyun immediately ordered the command with their 76mm gun was ready to be fired.
[42] [43] In 2018–19, the Philippines started to build a beach ramp, enabling the delivery of construction equipment for to work on the construction, rehabilitation and repairs of the Rancudo Airfield airstrip, soldiers' barracks, conventional and renewable power generators, desalination facilities, lighthouses, sewage disposal system, shelters and storage facilities for civilian fishermen.
[45] On 9 June 2020, the Philippine Department of National Defense (DND) led the inauguration of a beaching ramp on Thitu Island which was finally completed after three years.
[46] Also, the Department of Transportation (DOTR) confirmed that the new seaport and sheltered port on Thitu Island is completed and ready to operate by 12 June.
[55] The residents raise pigs, goats, and chickens, and plant crops in an allotted space to supplement their supplies of goods provided by a naval vessel which visits once a month.
[51] In April 2021, the Department of Information and Communications Technology announced the installation of free Wi-Fi facilities at Pag-asa Intergrated School, Barangay Hall, and other sites on the island.
In 2004, the Philippine Navy's BRP Lanao del Norte (LT-504) ran aground during a failed attempt to dock near the island.
[61] This has already been completed as of June 2020, paving the way for Philippine Navy ships and contractors to proceed with the landing of equipment for the improvement of the facilities of the island.
Senator Sonny Angara filed a bill on 27 August 2016, that aims to promote the island as an ecotourism zone.
[65] In 2017, approximately 1.6 billion pesos was allocated to the island's development, for projects including a desalination plant, a port, and runway repairs.
[63] The Philippine government plans to turn the island into a logistics hub to sustain the country's military forces in the area.
Reynante "Nante" Unidad Tolentino, ACSP President, his requested Marian replica,[68] announced it will permanently be installed by Bishop Oscar Jaime Florencio of the Military Ordinariate of the Philippines thereat.
The procurement of land for the runway extension of the Pag-asa Island Airport Development Project is a government priority, since it vowed presence in contested waters.