Several groups of Filipinos asserted their rights over Bajo de Masinloc, popularly known as Scarborough Shoal (Huangyan in Chinese) despite the presence of more than 40 Chinese vessels including that of Chinese Coast Guard in the area May 15.
The Atin Ito flotilla, which left Masinloc May 14 escorted by the Philippine Coast Guard ships, comprised of five commercial fishing vessels and 100 smaller fishing boats, more than double the number that participated in its historic Christmas Convoy last December. Around 200 volunteers, including crew and members of media, joined the trip.
Akbayan President Rafaela David, a co-convenor of Atin Ito, said the mission was to conduct a “peace and solidarity regatta” within the country’s EEZ off the coast of Masinloc and the general vicinity of Bajo de Masinloc, deploy symbolic “WPS buoys/markers,” and deliver supplies to fisherfolk in the area.
This second civilian supply mission by Atin Ito is joined by the New Masinloc Fishermen’s Associations, the Subic Commercial Fishing Association Incorporated, the Mabayo Agri Aqua Association in Bataan, the Pambansang Katipunan ng Samahan sa Kanayunan (PKSK), the Pambansang Kilusan ng mga Samahang Magsasaka (PAKISAMA), the Center for Agrarian Reform, Empowerment and Transformation (CARET), Akbayan Youth, and the Student Council Alliance of the Philippines (SCAP).
“This stands as a testament to the ingenuity, resourcefulness and bravery of the Filipino spirit amidst formidable challenges. China may possess larger and more vessels, and wield strong water cannons, but we possess a secret weapon: our ‘diskarteng Pinoy,’ which, when coupled with determination and love for fellow citizens and country, can surmount even the most daunting adversity,” David said.
Edicio Dela Torre of the Philippine Rural Reconstruction Movement (PRRM) echoed these sentiments, stating, “The persistent aggression displayed by China in the West Philippine Sea only highlights its lack of legitimate claim. Our mission is a testament to the resilience and rightful assertion of our sovereignty by the Filipino people. This civilian supply mission is not just about delivering supplies, it’s about reaffirming our presence and rights in our own waters. The world is watching, and the narrative of rightful ownership and peaceful assertion is clearly on our side.”
Bajo de Masinloc, a triangular-shaped coral reef formation that has several rocks encircling a lagoon, is located 124 nautical miles west of Masinloc town in Zambales in the northwestern part of the Philippines.
Three Chinese Coast Guard ships are stationed near the lagoon since April 8, 2012 after an incident that gave China an excuse to physically assert its claim over the area. In July 2016, the Arbitral Court declared that Bajo de Masinloc is a traditional fishing ground by Filipino, Vietnamese and Chinese fishermen.
Photos and videos by Bullit Marquez.
