MANILA, Philippines – Akbayan president Rafaela David on Monday, November 20, said the Philippine government should “normalize” civilian trips to the West Philippine Sea, including in flash points for tensions between Beijing and Manila.

“For each act of Chinese aggression, the Philippines must respond with more supply missions,” said David in a press conference for Atin Ito, a coalition of groups wanting to embark on a civilian convoy to bring supplies to the BRP Sierra Madre, a Philippine Navy outpost in Ayungin Shoal in the West Philippine Sea.

David’s statement comes days after the spokesperson of the National Security Council (NSC), Assistant Director General Jonathan Malaya, said the council discouraged the planned mission, citing security concerns.

Groups launched in early October a plan to bring Christmas supplies to Ayungin through a civilian convoy of ships. Organizers said up to 40 ships have volunteered to be part of the journey.

The campaign involves donation drives and a Christmas concert, before the convoy makes its way to Ayungin Shoal. Akbayan is only one of several groups which are part of the coalition.

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While the NSC has yet to respond formally to their request, Emman Hizon, a member of the coalition, said they are “not asking for permission” but “coordinating” with the council.

Hizon also noted that the coalition is in “close coordination” with the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) for the logistics of the mission.

The PCG escorts the Navy’s contracted civilian ships for resupply missions to the BRP Sierra Madre. It has faced China’s repeated harassment.

Resupply missions to Ayungin Shoal, in the past months, have become more precarious as China becomes more aggressive in preventing the Philippines from completing its task. Philippine ships – from the PCG as well as civilian boats – have been subject to harassment, blocking moves, and even the use of water cannons by the China Coast Guard and the Chinese Maritime Militia.

The most recent resupply mission saw the China Coast Guard use water cannons against one Philippine resupply boat. China also deployed the most vessels it has ever sent – 38 ships from the China Coast Guard, Chinese Maritime Militia, and Chinese Navy – against five vessels from the Philippines.

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Ayungin Shoal is well within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone, which means the country has exclusive rights to the marine life and possible energy reserves in the area. The Philippines also has the exclusive right to conduct scientific surveys in the area, up to 200 nautical miles from the coast.

But China has erroneously claimed sovereignty over the area, despite a 2016 arbitral ruling saying Beijing’s sweeping claim to the South China Sea is not valid.

The Philippines has insisted that it would never ask permission from China to conduct resupply missions. In a recent statement, the Department of Foreign Affairs called on China to remove its artificial islands and stop reclamation efforts in the West Philippine Sea. – Rappler.com