NYMWPS celebrates first anniversary

A year ago, Dr. Celia Lamkin founded and launched the National Youth Movement for the West Philippine Sea during the West Philippine Sea Forum that she initiated and organized in partnership with the University of the Philippines Agribusiness Society at UP Los Banos, Laguna, Philippines despite her absence in the said event and her medical condition.

Lamkin was inspired by the success of the essay contest on West Philippine Sea that she launched in November 2012, where 327 high school and college students in the Philippines and overseas participated.

The West Philippine Sea Forum intended to dissect the indomitable Filipino rights in the West Philippine Sea.

Lamkin, who initiated and organized this WPS forum, and chairperson of the West Philippine Sea Forum Organizing Committee added, “With the distinguished credentials as well as their deep knowledge on the West Philippine Sea issues, the prominent and well-respected guest speakers will provide the youth and the rest of the audience an increased awareness and relevant insights on a matter that unquestionably affects our national security, marine resources, ecosystem and the Philippines’ future generations.”

Almost 1,000 attendees, including the students of UPLB, youth, and other sectors, attended the forum and the launch of the NYMWPS.

NYMWPS mission and goals

The preamble of the National Youth Movement for the West Philippine Sea states:

“We, the Filipino youth, recognize our duty to uphold the territorial integrity of the Republic of the Philippines, cognizant to the importance of the West Philippine Sea to our national progress, and to establish a Movement that shall embody our collective ideals and objectives as follows:

1. 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.

2. To instill the values of patriotism to the Filipino youth as well as to rekindle their national spirit.

3. To effectively educate the youth on the West Philippine Sea and raise awareness on its socioeconomic and political importance to the nation.

4. 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 (Spratlys), Palawan, and the Scarborough Shoal or Bajo de Masinloc, Masinloc, Zambalez.

There are 23 chapters of the NYMWPS in the Philippines and different continents of the world including Saipan.

A documentary film produced by NYMWPS will be shown online during the anniversary of NYMWPS. Other anniversary activities include the beauty pageant “Miss West Philippine Sea” that will be held in Manila, Philippines, West Philippine Sea Forum on Saipan, essay writing and poster contest on the sentiments of the youth on victory of the West Philippine Sea, and continuous public awareness and education in the West Philippine Sea, among others, added Lamkin.

In January 2013, during President Benigno Aquino’s administration, the Philippines filed an arbitration case against China with regard to the West Philippine Sea at the UN Permanent Court of Arbitration at the Hague, Netherlands.

On July 12, 2016, the Philippines won the arbitration case against China.

“ I urge the youth and the Filipinos in the Philippines and overseas as well as the global citizens and international community to support our cause.”

“The victory of our West Philippine Sea is the victory of every Filipino.” Lamkin concluded.