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Unidentified Philippine lawmakers join local residents and military officials in a symbolic unfurling of a banner at Pagasa Island, part of the disputed Spratly group of islands, in the South China Sea located off the coast of western Philippines Wednesda Rolex Dela Pena, Pool, Associated Press
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Armed Forces of the Philippines Western Command commander Lt. Gen. Juancho Sabban, right, Kalayaan municipality Mayor Eugenio Bito-onon, 2nd right, and Philippine Congressman Walden Bello, 3rd right, walk along the shores of Pagasa Island, part of the di Rolex Dela Pena, Pool, Associated Press
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Filipino residents and municipal employees recite their oath of allegiance to the country at Pag-asa Island, part of the disputed Spratly group of islands, in the South China Sea located off the coast of western Philippines on Wednesday July 20, 2011. A g Rolex Dela Pena, Pool, Associated Press
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Photographed through the window of a closed aircraft, an aerial view shows Pagasa Island, part of the disputed Spratly group of islands, in the South China Sea located off the coast of western Philippines Wednesday July 20, 2011. China protested a trip m Roley Dela Pena, Pool, Associated Press
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Photographed through the window of a closed aircraft, an aerial view shows Pag-asa Island, part of the disputed Spratly group of islands, in the South China Sea located off the coast of western Philippines on Wednesday July 20, 2011. A group of Filipino l Rolex Dela Pena, Pool, Associated Press
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Philippine Congressman Walden Bello, right, walks past local residents and municipal employees of Pagasa Island, part of the disputed Spratly group of islands, in the South China Sea located off the coast of western Philippines Wednesday, July 20, 2011. C Rolex Dela Pena, Pool, Associated Press
By Associated Press

PAG-ASA ISLAND, South China Sea — On this speck of a sun-splashed island in the turquoise South China Sea, there is little sign of the tensions that have consumed politicians and diplomats in distant Asian capitals.

Six different nations are pressing their stake to all or part of these potentially oil- and gas-rich waters teeming with fish. Most recently, the Philippines and Vietnam have been wrangling with China in a noisy territorial dispute that is dominating this week's Asian security forum in Bali.

And yet, here on Pag-asa, the only sounds are the waves slapping the shore and the wind whistling in the ears. At high noon, fighting off sleep is a struggle.

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There are no cars, newspapers, Internet or malls on an island that mostly consists of a gravel airstrip and some structures.

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