A PHOTO GALLERY ON WPS – OUR SEAS, OUR RIGHTS, OUR FUTURE

May 11, 2025 Community Billboard

While sporadic incidents of conflict with China over sovereignty in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) constantly hug headlines, awareness about the WPS itself is low. This was the thinking of the Philippine Armed Forces, particularly the 5th Infantry Division that oversees the
Cordillera and Regions 1 and 2 military operations, in spearheading a photo exhibit in partnership with SM malls, to raise awareness on the economic and sovereign significance of the WPS to the country. Dubbed the “West Philippine Sea Photo Gallery Exhibit,” the first exhibits were held at Cauayan, Isabela and in Tuguegarao. The third exhibit opened at SM Baguio on May 3 and ran until May 7.

The exhibit, organized by the Joint Task Unit Panagkakaysa and 5tth Military Batallion (Kabalikat) Civil Military Operations Regiment,
portrayed through photos the history and richness of the WPS. In his talk, Col. Rhenante Salvador, deputy brigade commander of the Joint Task Unit Panagkakaysa, pointed out that the exhibit is all about why the country must defend the WPS, rights over the sea territory, and the future. Our Seas, Our Rights, Our Future runs the theme of the activity. Speaking in Filipino, Salvador said that in these times of uncertainty, one thing must be made clear. The WPS is ours.

While explaining that the WPS is part of the country’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ), foreign forces, and not just China, continue their
presence and aggressive activities within the country’s EEZ. Due to this, the rich ecosystem, and the country’s sovereignty is fast eroding.
At tanungin natin ang ating mga sarili, hanggang kalian tayo mananahimik? (Let us ask ourselves, until when shall we remain silent?)
Every drop of water in the WPS mirrors the blood, sweat and tears of our fisherfolk fighting everyday for our rights out at sea, Salvador said. The educational material distributed in the exhibit spells out that in 2020, the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources recorded fish production in the WPS totaling 1,290,000 metric tons. It is also rich in corals crucial for marine life reproduction.

The fight is also for the future. If we love our children and the future of the country, we must start asserting our rights now, Salvador said. It begins with awareness, fighting disinformation, then speaking out – on social media, discussions in school, community and in church. Then act and support the cause of the fisherfolk, he said. Captain Larnie de Ocampo, operations officer of Joint Task Unit Panagkakaysa who was on top of putting the exhibit together, explained in a walk through that the exhibit is divided into sectors. First is Alamin (to know) where the history is told, giving attention to a map created in 1734 by Jesuit priest Pedro Murillo Velarde that provides historical evidence of the country’s long standing sovereignty over Bajo de Masinloc.

The photos also showed zones encompassing Island Group, on the western side of the archipelago as maritime zones of the Philippines under the Philippine Maritime Zone Act. The exhibit also explained the country’s EEZ, 200 nautical miles from the shoreline granted by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and the 2016 arbitral ruling affirming this and declaring China’s claim to
be of no legal basis. Sector 2 is about the richness of the WPS and importance to biodiversity and livelihood of fisherfolk. The deepest part of WPS has significant methane hydrate deposits where temperatures are low and pressure high. In terms of oil and natural gas, the Department of Energy estimates 6.1 billion barrels of oil and 57.8 trillion cubic feet of natural gas.

Another sector shows the military strength of the country. “We have a well-trained troop of more than 300,000 and continuing to increase. I can’t say the Philippine Navy is all that strong, but it is capable of defending against any threat,” de Ocampo said. Is war imminent with all the conflicts and uncertainties in the air? De Ocampo said even they do not know the answer. “But we keep a proactive
stance,” he said. And like Col. Salvador, he says the first line of defense is raising awareness, why and what we are fighting for. So the exhibit moves on. The photo gallery exhibit is most likely to go next to Laoag, where SM Baguio General Manager John Philip Baysac said a new SM will open in June.