The Philippine Navy has not monitored new reclamation activity in the features occupied by China in the South China Sea but noted the monitored presence of heavy equipment and vehicles used to put up additional structures in Subi Reef, a Philippine Navy official said Tuesday.

"I can only speak of Subi which is closest to Pag-asa. We have noticed improvements on their bases on Subi Reef," Philippine Navy spokesman for the West Philippine Sea (WPS) Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad told reporters in a press conference in Camp Aguinaldo.

"In terms of area, I could not say but there are structures being built. There are constructions, there is heavy equipment on Subi Reef right now," he added.

Trinidad did not give details on the improvements or the structures were being built by China in Subi Reef but he confirmed the presence of heavy equipment and construction vehicles in the artificial Island.

"We monitored the presence of construction vehicles, heavy equipment vehicles. They're putting up more structures on Subi Reef," he said.

Trinidad said there is no new reclamation monitored in the features occupied by China as the total reclaimed area since 2013 remained at 3,000 hectares.

"Total yes, 3,000 since they started reclaiming (in) 2013. Since they started reclaiming there is no new reclamation .... because it ended 2013, then there is no new reclamation," he said.

"The total reclaimed area within our EEZ and out of our EEZ, I think roughly around 3,000 hectares, this includes their major bases, this includes Subi Reef which I would like to correct is outside our EEZ although it is 12 nautical miles, roughly 12 to 15 nautical miles from Pagasa. The total area is roughly 3,000 hectares," he said.

"The major bases, Subi, Mischief, Johnson are already militarized. They have airstrips. They have harbors for warships. There are structures on land that we can only surmise are aircraft hangars. They have military grade communications equipment," he added. Robina Asido/DMS