(NYMWPS) — The National Youth Movement for the West Philippine Sea a non-profit organization that advocates for the Philippine sovereignty and territorial integrity, through its founder, Dr. Celia Lamkin of the CNMI and Guam, has declared its “full and unequivocal support” for the civilian movement led by the political party Akbayan and its staunchest ally, Sen. Risa Hontiveros.
The organizers have assembled forty privately owned boats to bring relief goods and Christmas presents to military groups and local communities of Pag-Asa and surrounding islands in the West Philippine Sea.
With the rise of the “Atin Ito!” (It’s Ours!) Coalition, Lamkin and the NYMWPS are extremely happy as it indicates a growing and broadening awareness coupled with bolder actions by citizens, civil society, basic sectors, party-list groups, personalities and political leaders.
Lamkin said for years, the NYMWPS pioneered similar, various and multi-faceted initiatives in the area to help focus attention on the controversies surrounding the West Philippine Sea which include:
• Public awareness and education through several West Philippine Sea fora, exposing the presence of Chinese Coast Guards and Chinese vessels in Pag-asa Island and the rest of Kalayaan Islands Group;
• Outreach and gift giving programs to the military troops at BRP Sierra Madre at Ayungin Shoal, civilian and military residents of Pag-asa Island, renovation of Pag-asa Elementary School, provision of school supplies to the students and teachers, musical instruments to school children, and feeding program to students;
• Donation of medical equipment and supplies and medicines to the Pag-asa health center, fishing tools and equipment to Kalayaan fisherfolks, among others.
In addition, Dr. Lamkin praised the efforts of the Civilian Flotilla, and expressed her gratitude for bringing much needed publicity and support for the many contentious issues in the West Philippine Sea area.
The efforts are particularly relevant to the country’s most crucial national issue, which is the return of the Malampaya oil field from the private sector to its rightful owners, the Filipino people.
Malampaya is the richest natural resource not only of the West Philippine Sea, but of the entire Philippines, and must be returned to its people.
In the words of the current flotilla organizers: “Atin Ito!”
It is also important to mention that there are pressing needs of the people of Palawan’s outlying islands such as:
• Providing strong wifi connectivity to the residents of Pag-asa Island (Thitu Island), a concrete elementary and high school building and provision of post-secondary education, big fishing boats and safety gadgets for the fisherfolks;
• Reliable healthcare services by constructing a hospital and providing medical professionals, livelihood programs, sea and air transportation, among others.
The members and stakeholders of the National Youth Movement for the West Philippine Sea encourage the private sector to continue their support beyond this current civilian flotilla, to provide more consistent aide to the communities around the West Philippine Sea.
The NYMWPS believes that the alleviation of poverty in the WPS areas has been severely overshadowed by the political rhetoric around the conflicting territorial claims in the West Philippine Sea.
