100 boats to join 2nd West PH Sea civilian mission

Around 100 boats will join the second civilian mission to the West Philippines Sea (WPS), which will be conducted on May 15, Atin Ito Coalition announced.

Atin Ito said that in the second civilian mission, it aims to conduct a “peace and solidarity regatta” and install markers or buoys in Bajo de Masinloc or Scarborough Shoal.

“The primary objectives of the mission are to conduct a ‘peace and solidarity regatta’ within our EEZ, during which symbolic markers/buoys emblazoned with the rallying cry ‘WPS, Atin Ito!’ (WPS is ours!) will be placed to reinforce our country's territorial integrity,” Atin Ito co-convenor and Akbayan president Rafaela David said in a statement.

Participating in the mission are two main civilian boats escorted by 100 small fishing vessels that will set sail from Zambales.

Aside from this, Atin Ito also plans to deliver essential supplies like fuel to Filipino fishermen in the area.

Bajo de Masinloc is a place of tension between the Philippines and China, as Filipino frontliners were harassed and fishers were shooed away by China in the area.

International observers are invited to join the mission to document the situation in the WPS and witness the challenges faced by Filipino fishers and frontliners.

Atin Ito co-convenor and Philippine Rural Reconstruction Movement president Edicio Dela Torres said the activity aims to send a message that “WPS is not up for grabs. It belongs to us, and we, as active citizens, will peacefully defend it.”

"In the face of adversity, we must stand firm in defending what is rightfully ours—nothing more, nothing less. Our sovereignty over the WPS is not negotiable,” he said.

David pointed out the importance of active citizenship in asserting rights of the Philippines on the WPS.

“Amid the evolving geopolitical dynamics, citizens must navigate an independent but collaborative path that harnesses the bayanihan spirit of our communities and asserts the rights of our people, especially our fisherfolk,” she said.

“Active citizenship is a superpower in itself. By mobilizing civilians and engaging in peaceful activities within our EEZ, we reclaim our space and assert our territorial integrity in a manner that champions peace and diplomacy,” she added.

Atin Ito held the first civilian-led mission to the WPS in December last year. —Joviland Rita/KBK, GMA Integrated News