MARAWI CITY (PIA) – The West Philippine Sea (WPS) took center stage at the 5th Ranaw Youth Organizations Summit as Rafaela David, co-convenor of the Atin Ito! Coalition, shared the group’s inspiring journey to assert the country’s rights over the WPS by delivering essential supplies to Filipino fisherfolks in the area.
In her message, David stressed the power of civilian empowerment to assert the country’s rights in its exclusive economic zone (EEZ).
“For every act of Chinese aggression, we must respond with more civilian supply missions,” David stated, highlighting the coalition’s proactive stance.
The Atin Ito coalition, formed in October 2022, consists of various organizations, including the Student Council Alliance of the Philippines (SCAP), Akbayan Youth, Philippine Rural Reconstruction Movement (PRRM), and others. Their recent solidarity regatta, involving 200 volunteers and 100 fishing vessels, successfully challenged China’s aggressive actions in the Scarborough Shoal.
The coalition has placed buoys or markers carrying the message ‘WPS, Atin Ito!,’ in the country’s EEZ. They also successfully distributed supplies, including fuel and food packs, to Filipino fishers.
David expressed gratitude for the overwhelming support from various sectors, enabling the coalition to raise sufficient funds that led to historic civilian supply missions.
She further underscored how unity and building people’s power can bring about waves of change.
“Kasi sa dulo, marami tayong mananakop. Hindi lang banyagang mananakop, pero ‘yung mga kapwa Pilipino din natin minsan na nang-aapi. Hinarap natin sila by making sure na tayo ay nagsasama-sama, coming together, and building people power,” she said.
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| Atin Ito Coalition Co-convenor Rafaela “Paeng” David spoke to Ranaw youth during the 5th Ranaw Youth Organization's Summit, highlighting her experience with the coalition in their civilian supply mission to the West Philippines Sea. (Photo courtesy of Ranaw Youth Development Office |
(In the end, we have a lot of colonizers. Not only foreign colonizers but sometimes the oppressors are our fellow Filipinos. We faced them by making sure that we were unified, coming together, and building people’s power.)
Calling on the youth to be active participants in nation-building, David urged them to create a “wave of change” to strengthen people’s power and realize their aspirations for the country.
“Buuin natin, palakasin natin yung daluyong ng pagbabago, let’s make sure that the waves of change is there, so that when we sail mas madali, sama-sama tayong palakasin ang kapangyarihan ng mamamayan at tunay nating maisasabuhay yung pagbabagong gusto natin,” she added.
(Let’s build it and strengthen the waves of change so that when we sail, it will be easier. Together, let’s amplify the power of the people and truly realize the change we want.) (LREMS/MGLY/PIA-10)
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