NEVER BACK DOWN, NEVER SURRENDER!
By: Renan B. Patiño
When two parties fight for supremacy over a thing, they are vying for a valuable asset. However, is it always worth the cost of the conflict?
The West Philippine Sea is known as a diverse and vibrant underwater world. Various marine creatures inhabit it, a distinct reason why it is often called the center of marine diversity in the Philippines. Not only that, this area is also rich in natural gases and minerals, which could provide power to the three major islands of Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. It is incredible how much life and energy can be found in our beautiful ocean, isn't it? It is ours and should only be beneficial to Filipinos.
However, The West Philippine Sea, known for its wealth and greatness, has faced various issues. Misconceptions about the ownership and greed of an interested country caused too much trouble and threat to its real owner. Nevertheless, the Philippines stands firm with its strong and valid evidence and is passive but never surrendering.
According to China, the South China Sea, which includes the West Philippine Sea and Scarborough Shoal, is part of their territory based on their nine-dash line. This declaration contradicts the Philippines' claim, which asserts its right to the aforementioned sea. According to the National Bureau of Asian Research, the Philippines argues that Scarborough Shoal and all other Spanish marine features surrounding the Philippines archipelago were transferred from Spain to the United States in 1898. After gaining independence from the US, the Philippines was given the title of Scarborough Shoal. Furthermore, according to the article of Ubac in Inquirer, under Philippine law, only those parts of the South China Sea that the Philippine government asserts are part of its exclusive economic zone (EEZ) are referred to as the West Philippine Sea. This is an ongoing issue that requires diplomatic efforts to resolve.
Nonetheless, China has never hesitated to assert its power over others, despite claims by both nations to the contrary. The Chinese government began to exert control over the disputed area, causing concern among local fishers and Philippine government officials. The Chinese authorities initially used water cannons against the fishers and later involved coast guards. The aggression continued as they exploited the area's resources, leading to an eventual appeal to the United Nations by the Philippines. After thorough investigation and evaluation, fortunately, in July 2016, the Philippines won a groundbreaking ruling in the Permanent Court of Arbitration, invalidating Beijing's massive claims over the South China Sea. This ruling was significant evidence that the West Philippine Sea legally belonged to the Philippines despite China's allegations and aggression.
Strong and valid evidence. By the result of the trial, the Philippines expected a positive action--- to stop the raging conflict in the area, but that was not the case, as the opposition country never recognized this ruling and continued to push the ideologies and beliefs therein. To further resolve this, former leaders have made efforts in the Philippine government to avoid a possible war between this powerful country and the Philippines. Agreements and peace talks have been organized, yet aggression continues.
Several reports reached the media in the previous years since the conflict started. The issue of harassment cases toward Filipino fishermen by the China Coast Guard, even after the result of the trial came out, has further heated the situation. In just this year, according to the news article in Philstar by Macairan (2024), the Philippine Coast Guard-West Philippine Sea spokesperson, Commodore Jay Tarriela, confirmed that the CCG had been known to harass Filipino fishermen and reportedly instructed them to return shells they had gathered from Scarborough Shoal. Witnesses stated that the CCG's rubber boat chased after the Filipino fishing vessel, preventing them from taking shells, which are a local delicacy they usually cook in the place. Four CCG members even jumped from the rubber boat. They swam towards the Filipino fishing vessel to instruct them to return the shells. Furthermore, witnesses have reported that the Chinese Coast Guard personnel continue to prevent Filipino fishermen from departing with their fishing vessels unless they comply with the order to throw back the sea shells they had gathered.
Apart from the harassment to Filipino fisherfolks are the reports of stealing of some of the equipment and devices made by Filipinos to support the locals in the area. Just this April 18, 2024, according to an article in the Philstar of Cariaso, Vietnamese allegedly stole the contents of a fishing device in the West Philippine Sea (WPS), while Chinese vessels removed the 'payao' that the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) had installed for Filipino fishermen at Panatag (Scarborough) Shoal, according to a fisherfolk group leader in Zambales.
It was in 2023 that the BFAR awarded a ‘payao.' Payao is an artificial structure deployed on fishing grounds to catch marine species, specifically tuna, commonly found in the area. It can be made of steel but is traditionally a bamboo pontoon type used in fishing operations. The Department of Agriculture (DA) and the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) made this effort of augmentation to ensure food security and good catch among Filipino fisherfolks living in that area despite the ongoing conflict.
"My fellow association members requested that the payao be placed at Scarborough Shoal, but it was already cut before we harvested," Alpay said. "Our fellow fishermen helped BFAR remove the Chinese floating barrier and it triggered the removal of the payao. Our fish catch could reach five tons and above if we have the paya," he added.
"There were times that our catch only reached half a ton, one ton, but we had no choice but to stay longer to cover the expenses. We go as far as 15 to 20 miles away from Scarborough just to catch more fish," Alpay explained.
Despite this tool's benefit to Filipinos, the removal of Payao, according to China, lies in its destructive nature. BFAR spokesperson Nazario Briguera condemned it in his statement and pointed out the most detrimental action made by China, which is the unabated reclamation that destroys coral reefs (Cariaso, 2024).
In the face of China's aggressive actions in previous years, it has been a cause of concern for many leaders and organizations. Further, leaders and concerned agencies never failed to take a stand in the Philippines even in earlier years. In response, according to the issued press release of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) in 2015, DFA Secretary Albert del Rosario, during that time urged the international community to support efforts toward a peaceful resolution of maritime disputes. Del Rosario emphasized the importance of the UN as a platform to achieve this goal. He also emphasized the Philippines' request for assistance during the UN-ASEAN conference to implement the declaration on the Conduct of Parties concerning the countries of China and hasten the creation of a binding Code of Conduct. These endeavors seek to enable a nonviolent resolution to conflicts among countries claiming ownership of territories in the West Philippine Sea.
Further, in the current administration, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. remained steadfast in his commitment to safeguarding the sovereignty of the Philippines. As per the Presidential Communications Office, in the year 2023, according to President Marcos, the Philippines will continue to collaborate with China to promote regional peace and stability, particularly in the West Philippine Sea, and to facilitate strong trade and economic activity. Despite the challenges confronting the two nations, the relationship will be defined not by differences but by common areas of interest, shared beliefs, and cultural similarities.
Also, the Philippine government and its designated agencies, such as the Philippine Coast Guard, are helping people living in the disputed area. Moreover, the National Task Force warned the public against the spread of fake information on different social media platforms by pro-Chinese users to weaken the factual information about the aggression made by Chinese Nationals in the West Philippine Sea. It encourages netizens to be vigilant and critical of what they are reading online about the West Philippine Sea, while the Philippine Coast Guard is taking a transparency strategy where Filipinos will see reality and what is happening in the area.
Alarming as indeed it is to see such behavior of our neighboring countries on our territories. Aggression meant to have aggression as what people would think. However, the actions of the Philippines on this issue are indeed relevant and critical.
Passive but never surrendering. The Philippines' passive conduct is often misinterpreted as weakness, but this couldn't be further from the truth. Our actions are a calculated display of our unwavering determination to protect our rightful territories. Despite facing significant challenges, we refuse to back down. It's a well-known fact that China's population far exceeds ours, and they possess immense power. However, we must remember that our leaders have engaged in peace talks and agreed on this issue. We will continue to stand firmly and fight for what is rightfully ours, and we won't be intimidated or subdued by any outside forces. We will never back down and never give up.
The Philippines is for Filipinos. Let it be known that the Philippines owns the West Philippine Sea legally. The highest trial has proven this fact beyond any shadow of doubt, and it's as clear as daylight. The resources of this sea are the rightful property of the Filipino people, and no other country, including China and its neighboring states, has any right to lay claim to them.
In the fight for power over the West Philippine Sea, the cost of the conflict is worth it. It is worth fighting for. It's time for us to assert our sovereignty over our own natural resources and put a stop to any unwarranted foreign meddling---with no harm, only awareness, diplomatic, and peaceful means as it takes. Remember, West Philippine Sea: Yaman nito ay para sa Pilipino.
We must come together and protect what is rightfully ours. We cannot allow misinformation to spread about this disputed territory. Let us rally and support each other as we raise our voices and make our concerns heard. Let us stand with advocates and leaders who are fighting for this cause. Let us stand today. Let it be NOW. Philippines. NEVER BACK DOWN. NEVER SURRENDER.
