Akbayan eyes ‘WPS bloc’ in 20th Congress
Metro Manila, Philippines - Representatives-elect from the Akbayan party-list are seeking to form a “West Philippine Sea bloc” in the 20th Congress amid tensions in contested waters.
Perci Cendaña, the sitting lawmaker, on Thursday, May 22, said the proposed West Philippine Sea bloc will be “champions of sovereignty.”
“Ito ‘yong mga kababayan natin at kasama natin sa Kongreso na naniniwala na dapat tayo ay nariyan, tayo ay nagha-harness ng resources natin diyan, at dapat naninindigan tayo laban doon sa encroachment ng China sa West Philippine Sea,” Cendaña said during a news briefing for Atin Ito Coalition’s third civilian mission to the contested waterway.
[Translation: This bloc will have members of Congress that believe that we have the right to harness resources and stand against China’s encroachment in the West Philippine Sea.]
Cendaña said the possible bloc will push for a measure declaring July 12 as a “WPS Victory Day” to mark the anniversary of the 2016 Arbitral Award that ruled overwhelmingly in favor of the Philippines.
It also invalidated China’s sweeping claims in almost the entire South China Sea.
“Kasama din po na tinutulak na panukalang batas ito pong [We will also push for a measure that will establish] WPS Institute… Ang gobyerno kasama ang mga eksperto at mga communities [With this, the government, experts, and communities] will join together in harnessing the potential of the West Philippine Sea for the Filipinos,” Cendaña said of the proposed measure.
Cendaña will cross over to the 20th Congress as an Akbayan nominee. The party-list will have three seats for topping the midterm election. The first nominee is veteran rights lawyer Chel Diokno, while the third is indigenous peoples advocate Dadah Kiram Ismula.
Diokno said there is a need to fight against China’s disinformation related to the West Philippine Sea.
The lawyer said Akbayan believes that education is important to counter false narratives.
“Isusulong po natin ang mandatory education tungkol sa West Philippine Sea sa lahat ng lebel ng pag-aaral,” he said.
[Translation: We will push for mandatory education about the West Philippine Sea at all levels.]
Tensions remain in the West Philippine Sea, even with the provisional deal between the Philippines and China on the resupply missions in the Ayungin Shoal.
Among the recent incidents was a Chinese vessel firing a water cannon and sideswiping a vessel of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources within the vicinity of Pagasa Cay on Wednesday.
