Marilyn Cahatol

'Atin Ito' headed to the West Philippine Sea in May 2024 and gave supplies and fuel to Filipino fishermen in the area. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News

Article (news)

Job Manahan

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/174926953706717215561947041721198983165171594636297620240515-atin-ito-wps-24.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="&#x27;Atin Ito&#x27; headed to the West Philippine Sea in May 2024 and gave supplies and fuel to Filipino fishermen in the area. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News "/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">&#x27;Atin Ito&#x27; headed to the West Philippine Sea in May 2024 and gave supplies and fuel to Filipino fishermen in the area. <em>Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News </em></span></span></span></div><p>MANILA – The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) on Saturday said the next Philippine president must continue the fight to protect the West Philippine Sea, evens as they acknowledged the need to reach more Filipinos for awareness.</p><p>In a news forum, PCG Spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea Jay Tarriela said the next Philippine leader must not be somebody “who is going to set aside our fight in the West Philippine Sea.”</p><p>The current administration, Tarriela said, was successful in reaching out to Filipinos across society regarding the importance of the country’s sovereignty over the waterway.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/6/5/china-says-no-external-force-must-be-brought-in-west-ph-sea-issue-2224">China says &#x27;no external force&#x27; must be brought in West PH Sea issue</a></div><p>“We have to keep doing this. Kung mayroon tayong 89 percent na awareness ngayon, I am hoping na sa mga susunod na taon, tuloy-tuloy pa rin nating gagawin ito. Lahat ng Pilipino—Luzon, Visayas, Mindanao—maiintindihan ang pinaglalaban natin,” said Tarriela.</p><p>He then raised the question of what would happen by 2028, when the country needs to vote for another Philippine leader.  </p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/5/21/hontiveros-there-will-be-a-progressive-alternative-in-2028-polls-1539">Hontiveros: There will be a progressive alternative in 2028 polls</a></div><p>“Ito ang dahilan kung bakit we need to reach out to increase awareness more para siguraduhin natin ang Pangulo ng 2028 is not somebody who is going to set aside our fight in the WPS at sasabihin ulit walang kinalaman sa sikmura ng Pilipino ito, magkakagiyera at mangangakong magje-jet ski,” he said.</p><p>“We have to make sure na ang mananalong president by 2028 is somebody who is going to pick up what PBBM has started. Itong pangulo na ito ang patuloy na titindig at itutuloy ang laban natin pagdating sa issue ng West Philippine Sea,” he added.</p><p>The jet ski promise was made famous by then-candidate Rodrigo Duterte, who, as president, said years later that it was a joke that people would be stupid to believe.</p><p>Tarriela also lauded civilian mission efforts to the West Philippine Sea, including the recently-concluded “Atin Ito” concert in Palawan and nearby Pag-asa Island.</p><p>“We need each one of you as Filipinos to amplify our narrative and tell the world na may isang bansa katulad ng China na patuloy na nanghaharang sa ordinaryong mangingisda at nagva-violate ng international law,” he said.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/5/28/first-concert-in-west-ph-sea-successful-despite-inclement-weather-1801">Mission accomplished: First concert in West PH Sea successful despite inclement weather</a></div><p>For his part, political analyst Ronald Llamas said the public should be reminded of what is at stake in the West Philippine Sea—the rich resources that the next generation could benefit from.</p><p>“Nagsisimula na silang ma-realize yan. Tingin ko, ‘yung intensity ng concern ng Gen Z at saka millennials, ang kabataan ay magse-scale up faster than we expect kaya yan yung tingin ko sa 2028, yan ang main issue sa presidential election,” Llamas said during the same forum.  </p><p>“Iboboto ba namin ang pro-China na presidente o iboboto natin ang isang presidenteng ipagtatanggol ang ating soberanya?... &#x27;Yan ang issue na related dito sa kabataan,” he added.</p><p>Groups earlier urged the government to include the West Philippine Sea in the school curriculum and should be mandatory at all levels in response to increasingly aggressive moves by China in the Philippine exclusive economic zone (EEZ).</p><p>In batting for lessons on the West Philippine Sea, Akbayan Party-list and the Atin Ito coalition have earlier underscored the need to dispel &quot;false narratives&quot; and disinformation among the Filipino people, especially the youth.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/4/8/pcg-spokesperson-unveils-levels-of-fake-news-campaign-on-west-philippine-sea-0008">PCG spokesperson unveils levels of ‘fake news campaign’ on West Philippine Sea</a></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO:</strong></div><div style="text-align:center"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ULErktSVQdA?si=x0qfZb2DBJoPgDoS" title="YouTube video player" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe><br/></div><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/_UZV5Drb1cs?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div>

<p>The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) on Saturday, June 7, said the next Philippine president must continue the fight to protect the West Philippine Sea, just as he admitted that they need to reach more Filipinos for awareness.</p>

The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) on Saturday, June 7, said the next Philippine president must continue the fight to protect the West Philippine Sea, just as he admitted that they need to reach more Filipinos for awareness.

No more jet ski: Next president must continue fight to protect West PH Sea, says PCG

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No more jet ski: Next president must continue fight to protect West PH Sea, says PCG

Job Manahan,

ABS-CBN News

Published Jun 07, 2025 12:34 PM PHT

|

Updated Jun 07, 2025 03:55 PM PHT

Read More:

Jet ski

West Philippine Sea

Commodore Jay Tarriela

ABSnews

Rodrigo Duterte

Atin Ito coalition

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