Each of us has a role in protecting the West Philippine Sea.
This is the Conveners for the West Philippine Sea’s invitation during the 7th Provincial Caravan for the West Philippine Sea (WPS) held in Mamburao, Occidental Mindoro on January 21, 2025.
The West Philippine Sea provides livelihood to fisherfolks from various provinces such as Batanes, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union, Pangasinan, Zambales, Cavite, Batangas, Mindoro, and Palawan.
In 2023, the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) recorded 275,520 metric tons of fish caught in these waters. It is also a home of corals, reefs, and shoals, where fishes breed and reproduce.
In addition, the Department of Energy’s report showed that WPS has a potential of 57.8 trillion cubic feet of natural gas and 6.1 billion barrels of oil, which can greatly contribute to the country’s economy.
While the national government continues to protect the West Philippine Sea, what can we do as simple Filipinos to contribute?
There are simple, yet impactful things that we can do:
- Be disciplined and have a love for the Philippines.
Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Assistant Secretary for Internal Relations Lilian M. de Leon encourages all to become disciplined and patriotic Filipinos.
“Ano nga ba ang role natin bilang mga Pilipino? Unang-una dapat may pagmamahal tayo sa ating bansa…Paano mo mamahalin ang bansa mo kung ikaw ay nagtatapon ng basura [sa hindi wastong paraan], kung wala kang disiplina,” de Leon said.
(What is our role as Filipinos? Firstly, we must have a love for our country. How can you love your country if you do not dispose of your garbage properly and do not have discipline?)
- Learn about the WPS and share it with others.
Another way to contribute is to learn the truth about the West Philippine Sea and share its story with others.
“Information is power. Ikuwento natin ang tamang kuwento ng West Philippine Sea. Saan natin ikukuwento? Kung ikaw ay magulang, ikuwento mo sa anak mo. Kung ikaw ay isang kabataan, ikuwento mo sa kaibigan mo,” BFAR Spokesperson Nazario Briguera explained.
(Information is power. Let us share the real story of WPS. To whom? If you are a parent, to your children. If you are a youth, to your friends.)
He added that the true story of the WPS will be the people’s tool to combat disinformation about our sea, sharing a slogan “West Philippine Sea: yaman ko, yaman mo, yaman nating mga Pilipino, hindi ng mga Tsino o ng iba pang lahi sa mundo.”
Whether you live facing the West Philippine Sea or on the other side of the country, everyone must join hands in fighting for our country.
To learn more about the West Philippine Sea, you may visit the West Philippine Sea Hub ( https://wpshub.ph/ ) – a platform for sharing knowledge and communicating with constituents in the WPS. (DSG/PIA MIMAROPA – Occidental Mindoro)
