On his first voyage as captain, Philippine fisherman Joel Banila was more worried about being battered by Chinese coast guard ships than he was about the impending storm on the horizon in the South China Sea.
His was one of the first boats to gamble on the big catches on offer in and around the disputed Scarborough Shoal since Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte made surprise overtures toward China, which sees the area as its sovereign territory.
For four years, Chinese ships have blockaded the tranquil lagoon rich in fish stocks and forced fishermen from the Philippines to travel further for smaller catches, reflecting tensions in the South China Sea where several countries have overlapping claims.