Aired (November 19, 2023): Sa kabila ng mainit na tensyon sa pagitan ng China at Pilipinas sa pinag-aagawang West Philippine Sea, paano nga ba napananatili ng mga residente ang kapayapaan at katatagan sa ipinaglalabang isla?
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00:00 Your vessel has entered the sea area of the Republic of China.
00:04 Require you to order your crews to leave the sea area.
00:09 In recent years,
00:11 the Philippines and China repeatedly
00:14 take over the territory.
00:16 If you don't leave here,
00:17 we will take the coast and the...
00:20 You need to warn us.
00:24 But why are they here?
00:26 If the mainland China is more than 1,000 kilometers away
00:30 from Spratlys?
00:32 You must stop your activity and leave this sea area immediately.
00:37 Please review your chart.
00:39 Their argument is based on what they call the 9-dash line.
00:46 This is it, right?
00:48 They cut off a large portion of the South China Sea
00:51 and they said that the ones with the right and sovereignty
00:55 in this area, because they have long discovered
00:59 this part of the sea.
01:01 The entire Spratly Islands and the Bajo de Masinlo
01:06 or Scarborough Shoal are part of the mainland China.
01:08 They are 230 kilometers or 124 nautical miles away
01:12 from Zambales.
01:14 This one? It's big.
01:16 In recent decades,
01:18 the Navy, Coast Guard, and the Chinese militia vessels
01:22 have been cutting off the coast of the South China Sea.
01:26 They have also cut off some of the Bajura and Shoal
01:29 and they have built these to become artificial islands.
01:32 Zamora or Subi Reef is only 27 kilometers away
01:37 from Pagasa Island.
01:38 Meanwhile, Panganiban or Mischief Reef,
01:42 which is one of China's naval and air bases,
01:44 is only 233 kilometers away from Palawan.
01:49 Many countries cut off the 9-dash line of China.
01:53 The Philippines questioned it
01:54 in the Permanent Court of Arbitration.
01:57 And in 2016, we achieved a great success.
02:01 The Philippines welcomes the issuance today
02:07 of the award by the Arbitral Tribunal.
02:10 The Arbitral Tribunal said that the 9-dash line of China
02:14 has no basis.
02:16 This means that the Philippines has the right
02:19 to the so-called Exclusive Economic Zone
02:22 or EEZ of the country,
02:23 or the entire ocean that is 370 kilometers away
02:27 or 200 nautical miles from our coast.
02:31 But China did not accept the decision of the Arbitral Tribunal.
02:37 Here.
02:38 It's not going to fit.
02:40 It's too big.
02:41 If you think about it,
02:55 fishing is not just about finding life,
02:58 like Manglari.
03:00 [music]
03:10 It's also a way to fight for our rights.
03:15 I believe that all the resources under the water
03:20 are ours in this place.
03:22 I always join our meetings
03:25 to ensure that we are strong in this place.
03:29 It is important for the community to remain hopeful.
03:33 But because the island is small,
03:35 and far from the public,
03:37 they need the support of the government.
03:40 Every month,
03:45 16 kilos of rice are given to each elderly person
03:48 and 6 kilos to the children.
03:56 The electricity bill is only 5 pesos per kilowatt hour.
04:00 The water is not 24/7 service,
04:05 but it's free.
04:07 And did you know that the houses here are also free of charge?
04:13 And there is another very cool public service
04:18 of the government here in Pagasa Island.
04:21 If you notice,
04:22 here in the middle of the town,
04:24 this is the most central part,
04:25 there are a lot of people sitting around.
04:28 Their cellphones are out.
04:30 Why?
04:31 Because there is free public Wi-Fi here in this place.
04:36 Let's try.
04:37 There, I'm connected.
04:42 It's cool, right?
04:44 Other places in Metro Manila have lost.
04:46 There is no internet.
04:47 Here, it's free.
04:49 But despite the blessings,
04:53 living in Pagasa is a huge sacrifice.
04:56 Although there are nurses and midwives in the health center,
05:02 they don't have a doctor.
05:04 Their facilities and supplies of medicines are also limited.
05:08 So those who have serious feelings
05:11 need to be taken to the hospitals in the mainland.
05:22 Meanwhile, there are teachers.
05:25 There are only four teachers from Kinder to Grade 10.
05:29 The classroom is also only for 63 students.
05:36 Good morning, student!
05:38 Ana Marie is the teacher of Science and English
05:41 for grades 7, 8, 9, and 10.
05:44 These are our Kinder pupils.
05:48 This is our head teacher.
05:50 She is also the advisor of Kinder to Grade 3 pupils.
05:56 While our head teacher is teaching,
05:59 they also have an activity for them to answer.
06:03 So that they can go to other grades.
06:06 So she is like going around each grade.
06:09 Ana Marie has been teaching in Pagasa for more than a year.
06:14 Our topic last week, who can still remember our previous lesson?
06:19 When she was asked to do her assignment, she didn't hesitate.
06:24 My school head called me and said,
06:26 "Ma'am Ana, you will be assigned to an island.
06:29 The trip is far.
06:31 Are you a girl? Are you allowed to be assigned there?"
06:34 I just said, "Yes, ma'am. I will accept that item."
06:38 What are the unique experiences you had as a teacher here
06:43 because of the small population?
06:47 The youth here are very hardworking.
06:50 They go to school at 6 o'clock.
06:52 There are students who don't have a problem to go home.
06:56 When they finish their classes, we will catch them.
06:59 Yes, we will catch them right away.
07:01 Then they can escape from the island.
07:04 [Music]
07:26 [BLANK_AUDIO]