Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea (WPS) Commodore Jay Tarriela answers questions from the media during a press conference in Cagayan de Oro City. Tarriela emphasized the shared duty of Filipinos in defending the country’s territorial rights and combating misinformation related to the WPS. (Photo: ADD/PIA-10)
CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY (PIA) — Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea (WPS) Commodore Jay Tarriela underscored the shared responsibility of all Filipinos in defending the country’s sovereignty over the WPS.
In a press conference on Tuesday, Tarriela reiterated the government’s position on asserting national rights in the WPS amid concerns about possible conflict.
“Isa sa mga kinatatakutan ng mga Pilipino sa pagtindig sa West Philippine Sea ay dahil baka magresulta ito ng giyera. And that has been the excuse of the previous administration. Pero, under the administration of President Bongbong Marcos, since day one, he has already expressed his commitment of not surrendering a square inch of our territory to any foreign power,” he said.
(One of the fears among Filipinos when it comes to standing up for our rights in the West Philippine Sea is the possibility that it might lead to war. That has been the justification used by the previous administration. However, under President Bongbong Marcos, from the very beginning, he has expressed his commitment not to surrender even a single inch of our territory to any foreign power.)
Tarriela noted that nearly three years into President Marcos’ term, this policy has not led to war.
He emphasized that defending the WPS is a duty of all Filipinos, regardless of region or background.
“Whether from Luzon, Visayas, Mindanao, Palawan o Batanes, tayong lahat ay Pilipino. Tayong lahat ay tumitindig para bansang Pilipinas. Ang West Philippine Sea po ay parte ng Pilipinas. Kung kinikilala nating lahat ang bawat isa sa atin na tayo ay Pilipino, we have the patriotic duty to support the government in fighting for our sovereignty and sovereign rights in the West Philippine Sea,” he said.
(Whether from Luzon, Visayas, Mindanao, Palawan, or Batanes, we are all Filipinos. We all stand for the nation of the Philippines. The West Philippine Sea is part of the Philippines. If we all recognize each other as Filipinos, then we have the patriotic duty to support the government in defending our sovereignty and sovereign rights in the West Philippine Sea.)
Tarriela cited the country’s history of resistance against colonization as a reminder that struggles for independence have always been national in scope. He said Filipinos in Mindanao did not see the revolts in Luzon against the Spanish, Japanese, or Americans were solely the concerns of Luzon.
Youth engagement
Tarriela visited PHINMA Cagayan de Oro College as part of the government’s initiative to raise awareness of WPS issues among the youth.
He said the campus caravan aims to help young Filipinos understand the country’s territorial rights and the importance of continuing the effort to uphold them.
“Our fight in the West Philippine Sea is intergenerational. Ito po ay ipapamana natin sa susunod na salinglahi ng Pilipino. And for them to continue our fight, it’s important for them to understand why they need to fight for this,” he further said.
With the spread of misinformation about the WPS, Tarriela said the national task force is working with the Philippine Information Agency (PIA) and the National Youth Commission (NYC) to ensure accurate and factual information reaches the youth. These agencies, along with local media, play a vital role in spreading the right message across the country. (APB/PIA-10)
