Third Atin Ito civilian mission to feature musical concert in WPS

The third Atin Ito civilian mission in the West Philippine Sea will feature a musical concert on board a ship by Filipino and other Asian artists near PAGASA Island, according to Atin Ito convenor Rafaela David.

The civilian mission, which is set from May 26 to 30, will also kick off with a sunset musical event at the jump-off point in El Nido, Palawan.

Among the performers expected to participate in the third Atin Ito civilian mission are Ebe Dancel, all-women rock band Rouge, rap collective Morobeats, and P-pop group HORI7ON, Japanese artist Fumi, Indonesian and Malaysian musicians Viona and Kai Mata, as well as South Korean K-pop girl group I:Mond.

“Tutuloy tayo sa pagconduct ng concert sa ating EEZ (Exclusive Economic Zone). Basta makapag-concert tayo within our EEZ, panalo na ‘yun. Napakahalagang panalo na iyon in standing up to China. Tinry nila mag-blockade noong nakaraan...titingnan natin kung haharangan ba talaga nila ngayon. Pero sa dulo, we plan to ensure na makapagconcert tayo sa ating EEZ kasi karapatan natin iyon,” David said Thursday.

(We will conduct a concert in our EEZ. As long as we can hold a concert within our EEZ, that's a win. That's a very important win in standing up to China. They tried to blockade us in the past... We'll see if they really block us now. But in the end, we plan to ensure that we can hold a concert in our EEZ because that's our right.)

David also maintained that they are ready for any possible contestation incident.

“No contestation [incident ang nakalagay] doon sa ating itinerary, but in case there are contestation, we can possibly expect shadowing. Kasama iyan sa ating tinitignan. We expect that it is going to happen, pero klaro din sa atin na hindi tayo magpapatinag,” David added.

(There's no contestation in our itinerary, but in case there are contestations, we can possibly expect shadowing. That is part of what we are looking at. We expect that it is going to happen, but it is also clear to us that we will not budge.)

Aside from musicians, the third Atin Ito civilian mission will also include artists, fisherfolk, and civil society leaders from the Philippines and neighboring countries to promote peace, dialogue, and cultural exchange.

“We aim to uplift coastal communities by amplifying the lived experiences and aspirations of our fisherfolk, and to foster regional harmony through shared cultural and maritime narratives. We will sail not with warships, but with songs; not with hostility, but with harmony and solidarity,” David said.

In 2016, the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague ruled in favor of the Philippines over China's claims in the South China Sea, saying that it had "no legal basis."

The decision also ruled that the Ayungin Shoal, the Spratly Islands, Panganiban or Mischief Reef, and Recto or Reed Bank are within the Philippines’ EEZ.

Further, the Hague court outlawed Chinese aggression in the Philippines’ EEZ by stating that Scarborough Shoal, a rich fish resource, is a common fishing ground.

China, however, refused to recognize the court ruling to this day and is undeterred in deploying aggression against Philippine vessels and personnel, including firing water cannons and ramming Filipino-manned vessels.

Still, David assured that the Atin Ito contingent remains unfazed.

“Kung saan  man tayo abutan... the whole route of convoy, ang mahalaga sa atin ay maipakita sa China that this concert will happen whatever maneuvers they will do,” David said.

(Wherever we go for the whole route of convoy, what's important to us is to show China that this concert will happen whatever maneuver they will do.) —VAL, GMA Integrated News