Hold the line and change the narrative.
That is the message of Atin Ito!—a coalition of fisherfolk, civil society organizations, and community volunteers—as they joined the frontlines in asserting the country’s territorial claim over contested waters in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) last October 2023 amid escalating tensions with the People’s Republic of China.
For the group and the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), this “intergenerational battle” for our sovereignty in the area will require the active participation of even civilian Filipinos.
Sail for truth
The shift in political winds as well as China’s adaptive response to the typical and ritualistic protests and statements their individual groups had been releasing prompted the formation of the Atin Ito! coalition. For co-convenors Emman Hizon and Matthew Silverio, there needed to be a single unified message against China, recalling their history in being one of the civil society organizations that called for the filing of the case at the Permanent Court of Arbitration in 2012.
In December 2023 and last May, the bloc sent a flotilla of over a dozen ships to deliver goods to residents and frontliners in the features and islets in the WPS. Hizon, also a spokesperson for the coalition, says that their recent sail to Panatag Shoal centered on three core objectives: to conduct a solidarity regatta, deploy symbolic markers or buoys, and launch a successful resupply mission.
In a press statement after the May convoy to Panatag, the coalition described their mission as a “success” on these targets, despite being unable to physically enter the atoll. Hizon elaborates in a conversation with The LaSallian that they needed to adjust their goals to be more tangible following their previous sail in Palawan, where their convoy had to return to El Nido after being aggressively shadowed by Chinese ships.
“We drew lessons from our previous mission (to Ayungin Shoal). We said that if we’re going to do another supply mission, it can’t be the same thing all over again. We [needed] to have clear objectives that even if the Chinese tried to interrupt our itinerary, we would be able to achieve them,” he shares.
Silverio underscores that the conduct of these sails aimed to show solidarity with the Filipino fishing communities in Zambales, Pangasinan, and Bataan, who continue to stand against the Chinese Coast Guard (CCG) and maritime militia.
He recalls that when their ship almost capsized during their voyage in May after being sideswiped by three CCG vessels, the fisherfolk remained undeterred against the Chinese ships.
“Sabi ko sa sarili ko, ‘I think this is the end of my life,’ but our Filipino fisherfolk [were] chilling in the back and screaming back, ‘Atin ito!’,” recalls Silverio.
(I said to myself…‘This is ours!’)
The dangerous sailing maneuvers, water cannoning, and ramming are just the surface of Chinese harassment, shares Alex Emplona, a fisherfolk from Masinloc. He explains that he gets hesitant to fish at the shoal sometimes as the Chinese steal all their good catch and return the spoiled or low-quality fish back to the Filipinos.
Beyond the waves
The Philippines and China have long battled for control of the narrative within the international community. Since 2023, the PCG has launched a “transparency initiative” that aims to expose all actions done by China in the WPS. International relations expert and Associate Professor Joseph Velasco sees the campaign as an “interesting development,” but adds that it may need to evolve further given that China is able to weather the reputational costs it incurred.
Domestically, the PCG and Atin Ito! have seen a drastic drop in the susceptibility of Filipinos to Chinese propaganda. PCG Spokesperson for the WPS Commodore Jay Tarriela sees their transparency initiative as one of the drivers for the sudden outpour of public outcry.
“With the right information, we have awakened their sense of patriotism…They have already appreciated the efforts of the Armed Forces of the Philippines and [the] PCG. All of this is the main reason why more Filipinos [now] support the efforts of the government in countering Chinese aggressive action,” he posits, citing recent OCTA Research and Pulse Asia surveys showing heightened support for asserting our rights in the WPS.
Hizon echoes Tarriela’s opinion, but also notes that during the Duterte administration, there was an active censorship of reportage on the WPS. He adds that a continuous stream of factual information on the WPS is crucial to educating Filipinos, especially among the less fortunate population.
“The WPS issue is actually a gut issue. Napakalaking economic loss niyan, na kapag hindi natin mapupuntahan ang traditional fishing grounds natin; maraming fishing communities ang
hindi makakapangisda. Napakalaking parte ng pagkain natin ang isda, lalo na’t archipelagic country tayo.” Hizon said, citing opinion surveys from OCTA that show the WPS issue not being one of the top three problems the government should prioritize.
(It is a huge economic loss if we are unable to access our traditional fishing grounds; many fishing communities won’t be able to fish. Yet, fish remains a huge part of our diet, especially since we are an archipelagic country.)
In addition to their convoys, Atin Ito! launched an Adopt a Payao program last October, where individuals donated to fund a payao or traditional fishing buoy that was deployed across the WPS.
Institutional and civic collectivism
The battle for the WPS would require more than civilian participation, but an active push for the truth from universities and a pro-Filipino vote in the 2025 and 2028 National and Local Elections.
Emphasizing the role of DLSU in the WPS issue, Velasco says that DLSU needs to cut through the noise and provide ideas based on facts. Hizon shares the same opinion and proposes that a mandatory WPS and Southeast Asian relations subject be introduced across basic to tertiary levels of education.
Silverio also challenges the University Student Government to take a more active role in the campaign for the WPS, stating that the coalition’s channels are always open for the conduct of campus caravans and conferences that will aid in their cause.
On the rampant disinformation campaign on social media, Velasco asserts that “fighting lies with the truth” should be the approach of many. Similarly, Tarriela encourages civilians, especially millennials and the current generation, to counter the misinformation being spread.
“Tell the world that this does not adhere to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. The Chinese narrative is dubious because it does not align with international law,” he argues.
Tarriela is convinced that Filipinos are now more responsible in knowing who to vote for, especially when a pro-China candidate joins the 2025 Midterm Elections. He believes that “this could help us evaluate…if the significance of our fight…and efforts are being supported” by the masses.
This article was published in The LaSallian‘s January 2025 issue. To read more, visit bit.ly/TLSJanuary2025.
