The Western Naval Command (WNC) confirmed that China’s Long March 12 rocket passed through the airspace over Palawan on January 19, as detected during routine maritime and airspace surveillance operations.

According to WNC spokesperson Capt. Ellaine Collado, the rocket was observed at around 3:59 p.m., prompting continued monitoring by concerned government agencies. Authorities said all units remain on alert to ensure public safety.

In a statement, the WNC said video footage showed a visible trail consistent with a rocket transit, aligning with pre-launch advisories that identified potential debris drop zones about 20 to 160 nautical miles off Palawan’s eastern coast, including areas near Puerto Princesa City and the Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park.

Meanwhile, the Philippine Space Agency (PhilSa) said the Long March 12 rocket was launched from the Hainan International Commercial Launch Site in Wenchang, China, at around 3:48 p.m. Philippine time. Authorities stressed that monitoring operations are ongoing.