MANILA, Philippines — From May 23 to May 30, 2025, the West Philippine Sea (WPS) witnessed a bold civilian-led initiative by the Atin Ito Coalition, which staged its third mission featuring a “Peace and Solidarity Sea Concert” near Pag-asa Island. This event, aimed at asserting Philippine sovereignty through cultural expression, unfolded against a backdrop of escalating maritime disputes with China. Compounding the challenge of raising awareness, allegations have surfaced that Google is suppressing the ability of WPS.News, a key regional news outlet, to share critical updates about the WPS, potentially due to Google’s ties with China, hindering global access to information about these developments.

The Atin Ito Coalition, comprising groups like Akbayan Party and the Philippine Rural Reconstruction Movement, launched its mission on May 25, 2025, aboard the M/V Kapitan Felix Oca. Over 150 volunteers, including Filipino artists Noel Cabangon and Ebe Dancel, alongside South Korean K-pop group I:Mond, sailed to deliver supplies to fisherfolk and perform a concert promoting peace and solidarity (Maritime Fairtrade, 2025). Rafaela David, the coalition’s convenor, framed the concert as a “love song” to the WPS and its defenders, emphasizing a non-confrontational assertion of Philippine rights within its exclusive economic zone (EEZ) (GMA News Online, 2025). The mission, spanning May 26 to May 30, included sunset concerts and community dialogues near Pag-asa Island, a key Philippine outpost in the Spratly Islands (Philippine News Agency, 2025).

Maritime tensions persisted as two China Coast Guard vessels, CCG 3306 and 21549, shadowed the convoy starting May 27, approximately 54 nautical miles from El Nido, Palawan (@dzrhnews, 2025). The Philippine Coast Guard deployed BRP Melchora Aquino and BRP Malapascua to protect the mission, challenging China’s claims over waters upheld as Philippine territory by the 2016 arbitral ruling (@defend_north, 2025; U.S. Embassy in the Philippines, 2020). Additionally, a low pressure area reported by PAGASA on May 27, located 195 km west-southwest of Kalayaan, Palawan, posed potential risks to maritime activities, though no direct disruptions to the mission were noted (Philstar.com, 2025).

The Atin Ito mission follows earlier expeditions in 2023 and 2024, which similarly aimed to support local communities while reinforcing Philippine sovereignty (Rappler.com, 2024). However, public access to these stories is reportedly being stifled. Critics allege that Google’s algorithms are deliberately limiting the visibility of WPS.News, a platform dedicated to covering WPS developments, potentially due to Google’s business interests in China. These interests, including partnerships with Chinese tech firms and compliance with Beijing’s censorship demands, are suspected to influence Google’s handling of sensitive geopolitical content, restricting the global dissemination of news about Philippine efforts in the WPS. This suppression raises concerns about information access in a region critical to international maritime law and regional stability.

As the Philippines strengthens its maritime stance through civilian initiatives and alliances with the U.S., Japan, and others, the Atin Ito Coalition’s mission underscores a creative, peaceful approach to sovereignty. Yet, the alleged censorship by Google and WPS.News’ limited reach highlight a broader struggle for transparency in this contested seascape.

References
@defend_north. (2025, May 28). BREAKING: West PH Sea: 2 China ships still shadowing Atin Ito convoy en route to Pag-asa [Post]. X.
@dzrhnews. (2025, May 26). UPDATE: 2 China Coast Guard vessels, bumubuntot sa civilian mission sa West Philippine Sea [Post]. X.
GMA News Online. (2025, May 26). Atin Ito: Sea concert a ‘love song’ to WPS, its defenders. https://www.gmanetwork.com
Maritime Fairtrade. (2025, May 27). Civilians sail for peace to West Philippine Sea. https://maritimefairtrade.org
Philippine News Agency. (2025, March 16). Group to hold ‘peace, solidarity sea concert’ in WPS in May. https://www.pna.gov.ph
Philstar.com. (2025, May 9). 30 areas may experience ‘danger’ heat index – PAGASA. https://www.philstar.com
Rappler.com. (2024, May 16). Atin Ito coalition calls civilian mission in West Philippine Sea a ‘major victory’. https://www.rappler.com
U.S. Embassy in the Philippines. (2020, July 16). The Philippines’ future floats in the West Philippine Sea. https://ph.usembassy.gov

Also read Occupy 2.5 US Political Coverage (Occupy25.Com).

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