Third West PH Sea civilian mission, concert set on May 25, 2025 —Atin Ito

Atin Ito Coalition on Monday announced that another civilian mission is set to be conducted in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) on May 25, 2025 amid the tension in the area involving Chinese vessels and aircraft.

For the third iteration of the mission, Atin Ito co-convenor and Akbayan party-list president Rafaela David said a peace and solidarity sea concert will also be held.

"We are setting sail with a message of peace and solidarity through music. Through the power of art and collective action, we will fight for what is rightfully ours--not with weapons of war, but with the unyielding force of music and solidarity,” David said.

"We will restore peace, solidarity, and cooperation in the region--values that have long bound our nations together, especially among our fisherfolk. These were callously undermined when China unilaterally imposed its baseless claims, resorting to aggression and violence to illegally assert control over waters,” she added.

Among the artists who will join the mission include Noel Cabangon and rock group Rouge. Japanese artist Fumiya Sankai also expressed his support for the mission through a video message.

Atin Ito conducted its first and second civilian missions in WPS in December 2023 and May 2024, respectively.

Atin Ito co-convenor Edicio Dela Torre said these missions had profound impact on public consciousness about the WPS issue.

"Our first and second civilian-led missions were defining moments— not just in defending our sovereignty, but in transforming how Filipinos engage with the WPS issue," Dela Torre said.

"They have awakened a sense of collective responsibility. This is not just a geopolitical matter—it is about justice, livelihoods, and the future of our nation,” he added.

Meanwhile, WPS advocate Kiko Aquino Dee addressed the recent arrest of former President Rodrigo Duterte by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for crimes against humanity.

According to him, Duterte's supposed betrayal went beyond his drug war and allegedly enabled China's aggressive incursions in the WPS, endangering fisherfolk and compromising national security.

"Our victory in 2016 shows that international courts can actually strengthen our sovereignty. To every Filipino who believes in our rights as a nation, let us assert them by voting for candidates who have never wavered on defending the West Philippine Sea,” he said.

Tensions continue as Beijing claims almost all of the South China Sea, a conduit for more than $3 trillion of annual shipborne commerce, including parts claimed by the Philippines, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Brunei.

Parts of the South China Sea that fall within Philippine territory have been renamed by the government as West Philippine Sea to reinforce the country’s claim.

The West Philippine Sea refers to the maritime areas on the western side of the Philippine archipelago including Luzon Sea and the waters around, within and adjacent to the Kalayaan Island Group and Bajo de Masinloc.

In 2016, the Permanent Court of Arbitration in the Hague ruled in favor of the Philippines over China's claims in the South China Sea, saying that it had "no legal basis."

China has refused to recognize the decision.

Also on Monday, House Speaker Martin Romualdez said the administration of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is determined to defend the country’s sovereignty.

Romualdez made the speech during the plenary session of  the Harvard World Model United Nations (WorldMun) 2025 conference at the SM Aura in Taguig City over the weekend.

WorldMUN is an annual international Model United Nations conference organized by Harvard University students in collaboration with a host university in a different city each year.

“Under the Marcos administration, we have pursued a foreign policy of peace, pragmatism, and partnership - building stronger alliances while standing firm in defending our sovereignty. We have strengthened economic ties with partners across Asia, the United States, Europe, and the Middle East, securing investments and trade agreements that will uplift millions of Filipinos,” Romualdez said.

“This is the essence of diplomacy: standing firm in principle while seeking common ground. I hope you will carry that lesson with you. The idea that no matter how deep the differences, no matter how great the challenges, there is always a way forward - so long as there is a willingness to build, not just to destroy; to listen, not just to speak; to find common ground, not just to defend positions,” he added.

Likewise, Romualdez said the Philippine experience is a lesson in resilience, in unity, in the power of community.

“Conflicts rage. Democracies are tested. Economies are shaken by forces beyond borders. Climate change is no longer a distant threat - it is here, demanding answers we can no longer afford to delay. These challenges will not wait for the next generation of leaders. You are that generation. Do not wait for permission to make an impact. Do not wait for the ‘right time.’ The right time is now,” he said.

“Leadership is not a birthright. It is not bestowed by title, nor guaranteed by intelligence alone. Leadership is earned. It is forged in the fire of responsibility. Some of you in this room will lead governments. Some will lead corporations, movements, revolutions of thought. The question is, how will you lead?” he added.

True leadership, Romualdez said, is knowing when to listen, compromise, and take a stand.

“Ours is a history of resilience, of struggle, of fighting for the right to determine our own destiny. From the first cry of revolution to the halls of our democracy today, we have learned that leadership means standing firm in times of crisis, but it also means knowing when to extend a hand in peace,” he said.—with a report from Llanesca Panti/AOL, GMA Integrated News