Maria Tan

ABS-CBN News

<div> <img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/171594636297620240515-atin-ito-wps-24.jpg" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/>Atin Ito headed to the West Philippine Sea and gave supplies and fuel to Filipino fishermen in the area. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News</div>Some 200 Filipino activists and fisherfolk led by Akbayan Youth and Atin Ito coalition conducted a 2-day voyage to the West Philippine Sea on Thursday.The voyage, dubbed as “West Philippine Sea Atin Ito,” aims to protest the continuous incursion of Xi Jinping’s government in Philippine territory and the Chinese government’s harassment of Filipino fishermen. The group put up buoys and distributed fuel and food to fishermen in the area to express solidarity and assert the rights of Filipinos in Scarborough and Panatag Shoals, according to Akbayan Youth Secretary General and Atin Ito convenor Khylla Meneses. <div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/171594673996920240517-atin-ito-wps-25.jpg" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/>Akbayan Youth Secretary General and Atin Ito convenor Khylla Meneses. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News</div> “Yung paglalakbay na ito para sa akin ay para sa mga kagaya kong kabataang Pilipinong manginigisda na araw-araw pong sinusugal ang buhay nila at yung kinabukasan nila sa pangingisda sa sarili nating karagatan kahit na hina-harass sila, kahit patuloy silang binu-bully ni hindi man lang makatapak sa sarili nating teritoryo,” said Meneses. (This voyage for me is for young Filipino fishermen just like me who gamble with their lives and their future everyday so they can fish in our own ocean even if they are harassed, even if they are continuously bulliedthey cant even step foot in their own territory.) She also insisted that the Chinese government must respect existing international ruling on the territorial dispute with the Philippine government as China is a signatory to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). “Dapat tigilan na po ng China yung massive disinformation. Alam po natin ang katotohanan. Wala pong ibang bersyon ang kasaysayan. Wala pong ibang bersyon ang katotohanan. Ang katotohanan po ay atin ang West Philippine Sea. Sa Pilipinas po ito. May sovereign rights po kami dito lalo na yung mga mangingisda namin at mga kapwa naming Pilipino.”(China should really stop the massive disinformation. We know the truth. There is no other version of history. There is no other version of the truth. The truth is the West Philippine Sea is ours. Ths is the Philippines’. We have sovereign rights here, specially the fishermen and our fellow fFilipinos.) <div>HORROR STORIES</div><div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1715947023927atin-ito-wps-1-2.jpg" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/>Ramirez says that while he is fearful of what the China Coast Guard could do to them, he is still thankful they were able to deliver supplies. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News</div>Along the voyage 45-year old local fisherman Arcenio Ramirez Jr., who has been fishing for nearly a year now, expressed his gratitude to the expedition. However he also fears  possible danger that they could experience along the way. “Medyo kinabahan ako kasi baka kung anong gawin sa amin gaya ng pambobomba ng tubig, pangha-harass at panghaharang. Pero masaya ako at nagpapasalamat na nakapagbigay tayo ng tulong sa kapwa naming mangingisda. May mga tumutulong sa amin at hindi namin naramdaman na nag-iisa kami sa labang ito.”(I&#x27;m a bit nervous because they could do things to us like shoot water cannons, harrass us, and block us. But I’m also happy and thankful that we were able to give to our fellow fishermen. There are people who help and we don’t feel alone in this fight.) He added, “Ngayon hindi na namin alam kung paano namin susuungin ang lakas ng alon. Problema yun lang yung pinagkakanlungan namin kung lumalakas ang alon. Doon kami nagpapalipas ng panahon sa Scarborough doon sa bahura. Kapag nakapasok na kami doon sa loob safe na sana, di na malakas ang alon. Pero ngayon bawal na, eto na ang problema kung paano na.”(Now  we dont know how we will brave the strength of the waves. The problem is thats the only place where we seek refuge when the waves get stronger. Thats where we wait for the weather to clear, in Scarborough’. When we get there, it would be safe, the waves are manageable. But now we can’t, thats the problem.) <div>FISHERMEN’S APPEAL</div><div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1715947390729atin-ito-wps-27.jpg" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/>Boat captain Junar Ytac says China should stop claiming Philippine territory. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News</div>For Daniel Manimtim, 35, a fisherman at the West Philippine Sea, news of Chinese vessels and coast guard harassing their ranks are real as some of his colleagues have personally experienced it. One of them is 51 year old Junar Ytac. Ytak is a fisherman and chief captain of a Filipino fishing vessel that has been tailed, water-cannoned and “bullied” by Chinese ships on Scarborough Shoal. According to him, it enrages him to experience that, causing them to stop their operations. Ytac says “Mensahe ko sa China na hindi naman talaga ito sa kanila. Sa Pilipinas ito, paanong inaangkin nila? Dapat sila ay umalis na dito. Paanong naging sa kanila ito e di naman to sa kanila, ang lapi lapit nito sa lupa ng Pilipinas. Sa Pilipinas ito, atin ito.”(My message to China is this really isn’t theirs. This is the Philippines’, why are they claiming it? They should be the one’s to leave. How did this become theirs, this isn’t theirs? its so near the Philippine territory. This is the Philippines’, this is ours.) <div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1715947588326atin-ito-wps-26.jpg" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/>Manimtim hopes the issues in the West Philippine Sea will be resolved soon so everyone can go back to fishing. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News</div>For Manimtim, its better for all parties to just work things out. “Mensahe ko po ay sana matapos na yung ating isyu sa West Philippine Sea para pare-parehas na tayong walang problema at makapangisda na ng maayos.”(My message is hopefully we can end the issue in the West Philippine Sea so everyone won’t have problems anymore and we can fish peacefully.) “Masasabi ko sa China na apat ipa-ubaya na nila sa atin yung sariling atin dahil yun lang ang pinagkukunan namin ng kabuhayan. Pag Nawala ito, gutom ang pamilya,” added Ramirez.(I can tell China they should let what’s ours be ours because that’s how we make a living. If this is taken away, our families will go hungry.)<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1715947695248atin-ito-wps-20.jpg" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/>Fishermen who joined the second Atin Ito-led civilian mission to Scarborough Shoal catch fish within the Philippines&#x27; exclusive economic zone. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News</div>Meanwhile, the voyage organizers urge the Philippine government to assert the rights of Filipinos and as a sovereign nation in the West Philippine Sea.“Protektahan at ingatan ang ating mga biodiversity. Protektahan yung mga kapwa nating mga Pilipino nangingisda pero nevertheless protektahan yung ating pagkakakilanlan dahil ang laban natin sa West Philippine Sea ay hindi lamang laban ng mga kapwa naming mangingisda, hindi lamang laban naming mga kabataan o ng ibang sektor. Ito po ay laban ng bawat isang Pilipino. Laban ng ating soberanya. Laban ng ating pagkakakilanlan,” ended Meneses.(Protect and take care of our biodiversity. Protect fellow Filipinos that fish but nevertheless protect our identity because the fight in the West Philippine Sea is not just for fellow fishermen, not just the youth or certain sectors. This is the fight of every Filipino. The fight for our sovereignty. The fight for our identity.)

Some 200 Filipino activists and fisherfolk led by Akbayan Youth and Atin Ito coalition conducted a 2-day voyage to the West Philippine Sea on Thursday.

Some 200 Filipino activists and fisherfolk led by Akbayan Youth and Atin Ito coalition conducted a 2-day voyage to the West Philippine Sea on Thursday.

Atin Ito holds protest voyage vs China's bullying | ABS-CBN

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Atin Ito holds protest voyage vs China's bullying

Atin Ito holds protest voyage vs China's bullying

Maria Tan,

ABS-CBN News

Published May 17, 2024 08:32 PM PHT

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Updated May 19, 2024 10:57 AM PHT

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West Philippine Sea

Panatag Shoal

Scarborough Shoal

China

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