THE Army’s 53rd Infantry Battalion (53IB) has conducted a symposium on West Philippine Sea awareness and on Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism in a continued effort to promote peace and security through proactive and grassroots engagement.
The symposium, held on Saturday, August 9, at the covered court of Canoayan village, Bayog, Zamboanga del Sur, gathered over 100 participants, including local government officials, parents, students, and various members of the community.
The information drive on the West Philippine Sea issue emphasized the nation’s territorial rights and the importance of resisting foreign aggression.
“The lectures aimed to instill a heightened sense of national identity and awareness, particularly among the youth,” the 53IB said.
The Philippine government has renamed parts of the South China Sea that fall within the country’s territory as the West Philippine Sea to reinforce the country’s claim.
The West Philippine Sea refers to the maritime areas on the western side of the Philippine archipelago, including the Luzon Sea and the waters around, within, and adjacent to the Kalayaan Island Group and Bajo de Masinloc.
In 2016, the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague ruled in favor of the Philippines over China’s claim in the South China Sea, saying that it had “no legal basis.”
The symposium also deepened public understanding of the deceptive recruitment tactics and radical ideologies propagated by the Communist Terrorist and Local Terrorist Groups.
Lieutenant Colonel Roland Vargas Jr., 53IB commander, emphasized the role of informed communities on the territorial rights over the West Philippine Sea “as our national sovereignty” and the broader fight against violent extremism.
He said the initiative reflected the battalion’s commitment to community empowerment as a strategic approach to countering violent extremism and asserting our rights in the West Philippine Sea, fostering sustainable peace. (SunStar Zamboanga)