NYMWPS urges support for Roxas-Robredo tandem

Dr. Celia Lamkin, founder and global chairperson of the National Youth Movement of the West Philippine Sea, speaks during the induction ceremony of the local chapter of the NYMWPS on Saipan. (Contributed Photo)

Last April 9, the officers of the National Youth Movement for the West Philippine Sea in the Philippines and globally met and unanimously voted to adopt the resolution to support the Roxas-Robredo tandem for the May 9, 2016 Philippine Election, according to Dr. Celia Lamkin, founder and global chairperson of the National Youth Movement of the West Philippine Sea and chairperson of the U.S. Pinoys for the Good Governance CNMI, Guam, Hawaii, and American Samoa.

The movement endorsed former secretary Mar Roxas and Congresswoman Leni Robredo because they are the best candidates to be the next President and Vice President of the Philippines regarding their strong stand for the West Philippine Sea issues and have proven integrity, competence, and experienced leadership.

It was further resolved that the NYMWPS, its officers, and members in the Philippines and globally shall support the candidacies of Roxas and Robredo as President and Vice President, respectively and urge other Filipino citizens to vote for them.

Lamkin added the NYMWPS, which has 20 chapters in the Philippines, USA, Asia, the UK, Europe, Canada, Middle East, Africa, American Samoa, the CNMI, and Guam, is a non-partisan movement and it serves the nation’s interests to have as the next President of the Philippines one who will continue to have a strong stand for our West Philippine Sea position and continue with the arbitration case filed by the Philippines against China, allying the Philippines with other nations against China’s bullying tactics, informing the world of China’s illegal intrusion into Philippine territory and massive destruction of huge areas of pristine marine environment.

The officers and members of the NYMWPS earlier committed to uphold the territorial integrity of the Philippines with the following goals and objectives:

1. To assert our government’s position of preserving sovereignty and territorial integrity over territory which has vast oil and marine resources in the West Philippine Sea which is within the 200 mile Exclusive Economic Zone of the Philippines as defined by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

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 current West Philippine Sea issues vis-a-vis China and raise awareness of their importance to our nation’s present and future interest.

4. To enable our youth to participate in activities that protect our important interests in the in the West Philippine Sea including securing the safety and livelihood of our citizens who fish and/or reside within our 200 mile Exclusive Economic Zone 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.