Local chapter of NYMWPS to be launched

Launching of the National Youth Movement for the West Philippine Sea at Pag-Asa Island, Kalayaan (Spratly Islands), Palawan, Philippines.
(Contributed Photo)

The National Youth Movement for the West Philippine Sea (NYMWPS) in partnership with the U.S. Pinoys for Good Governance Marianas Chapter will be launching the NYMWPS Marianas chapter on April 23,2016, from 2:30pm to 4:30pm at the El Shaddai Chapter Office in Susupe, Saipan, according to Dr. Celia Lamkin, founder and global chairperson of the National Youth Movement for the West Philippine Sea and chairperson of the U.S. Pinoys for Good Governance CNMI, Guam, Hawaii, and American Samoa.

Inspired by the success of the International Essay Contest on the West Philippine Sea, which was initiated and launched by Lamkin in November 2012, and was participated by more than 300 high school and college students in the Philippines and globally and the need to create more awareness about the West Philippine Sea issues, the National Youth Movement for the West Philippine Sea was founded by Lamkin and was originally launched at the University of the Philippines Los Banos, Laguna, Philippines in partnership with the UP Agribusiness Society on Sept. 28, 2015.

The launching and the first West Philippine Sea forum was a complete success and attended by almost 100 students of UPLB community and other universities and high schools.

Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio of the Supreme Court of the Philippines, former Philippine National Security adviser and congressman Roilo Golez, military historian and Department of Defense consultant Jose Custodio, Prof. Richard Heydarian, and Department of Foreign Affairs Secretary Alfred del Rosario’s representative and veteran journalist Chito Sta. Romana also attended the forum.

The National Youth Movement for the West Philippine Sea has the following goals and objectives.
• To assert the position of the Filipino youth that fully recognizes the indisputable sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Republic of the Philippines over its claims in the West Philippine Sea in conformity with the international law.
• To instill the values of patriotism to the Filipino youth as well as to rekindle their national spirit.
• To effectively educate the youth on the West Philippine Sea and raise awareness on its socioeconomic and political importance to the nation.
• To enable the youth to participate in activities that shall protect the marine resources in the West Philippine Sea as well as to protect the rights and welfare of other sectors in the West Philippine Sea such as those in Pag-Asa Island and other Kalayaan Group of Islands, Palawan and the Scarborough Shoal or Bajo de Masinloc, Masinloc, Zambales.

The National Youth Movement for the West Philippine Sea has chapters in the Philippines (Pag-Asa Island, Kalayaan Group of Islands, Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao), USA ( Maryland, Illinois, Las Vegas, Hawaii, Los Angeles, Florida, Texas), United Kingdom, Ireland, Europe (Rome, Ireland, Malta, Denmark, Netherlands), Ireland, Japan, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Qatar, Euthopia, Africa, Israel,Australia, New Zealand, American Samoa, Guam and CNMI.

The movement in the Marianas is comprised of several young adults within the community, with Reynafe Aniga as the appointed president of NYMWPS Marianas both for the CNMI and Guam. Youth who are of Filipino descent ages 13 to 35 are eligible to be regular members and those who are above 35 years old can be an associate member, added Lamkin.

“The battle between China and the Philippines over the West Philippines Sea has been a tumultuous fight, but it is up to us, the youth of today, to let our voices be heard as we protect the sovereignty of our motherland and spread awareness to our fellow countrymen. The launching of this movement is crucial for all Filipinos, so your presence will be well received by all,” said Aniga. (PR)