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PH civilian mission plants PH flag on Pagasa Cay 2 amid Chinese vessels' presence
Civil society coalition Atin Ito on Sunday planted the Philippine flag on Pagasa Cay 2 (Sandy Cay) in the West Philippine Sea during its 4th civilian mission amid the heavy presence of Chinese vessels.
Led by Akbayan Representative Dadah Kiram Ismula, the mission crew departed Pagasa Island at 5:40 a.m., a move of defiance against China’s continuous aggression in the West Philippine Sea, Atin Ito said in a statement.
“Matagumpay po nating naitaas ang ating bandila sa Pag-asa Cay 2 sa kabila ng mabigat na presensiya ng Tsina,” Ismula said.
(We successfully raised our flag on Pag-asa Cay 2 despite China’s strong presence.)
“This is a defiant but peaceful act of resistance against China’s aggression within our waters. Our message is clear: the West Philippine Sea is ours. No amount of intimidation can erase that fact,” she added.
Located within the Philippines’ territorial waters, Pagasa Cay 2 is an extension of Pagasa Island that has become a maritime flashpoint between the Philippine and Chinese Coast Guards.
The mission, scheduled from April 30 to May 5, aims to deliver supplies, conduct medical outreach, and hold community activities, including a planned jet ski flag ride described by organizers as a peaceful assertion of the country’s sovereign rights.
A China Coast Guard (CCG) vessel was spotted shadowing a Philippine civilian mission boat bound for Pag-asa Island in the West Philippine Sea on Friday morning.
Among the notable incidents during the mission was the failure of Atin Ito’s drones to take flight.
Drone operators aboard the vessel reported being bombarded with prompts from their China-made units, requiring the devices to be registered with the Civil Aviation Authority of China (CAAC) before they could be activated.
Tensions continue as Beijing claims almost all of the South China Sea, including parts claimed by the Philippines, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Brunei.
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, but the latter refused to recognize the decision. —Mariel Celine Serquiña/KG, GMA News
