Members of the advocate group, Atin Ito Coalition, showed big smiles as its advance team successfully breached China's blockade at Bajo de Masinloc on Thursday, May 16.
‘#AtinIto’ civilian mission, tagumpay; advance team nakalusot malapit sa Bajo de Masinloc | RH 52 @ednielparrosa, DZRH News#MBCTVNetworkNews #SamaSamaTayoPilipinohttps://t.co/GIwB8d6hXA pic.twitter.com/9yLxPPymAU
— DZRH NEWS (@dzrhnews) May 16, 2024
Atin Ito, in a media release, said that its advance team departed for Bajo de Masinloc a day before its official civilian supply mission on May 14.
In a live announcement on Thursday, Akbayan President, and Atin Ito Co-Convenor Rafaela David proudly said that it successfully delivered fuel and food to Filipino fishermen working at Bajo de Masinloc.
The success of the resupply mission was composed of ten individuals from the Philippine Rural Reconstruction Movement, Act Partylist, Pambansang Katipunan ng mga Samahan sa Kanayunan, and volunteers from the Atin Ito Coalition.
"Umabot sila ng 25 to 30 nautical miles away from Bajo de Masinloc at kahit na sila ay shinadow ng isang Chinese Naval Vessel, naging successful ang kanilang pamimigay ng fuel at food doon sa mga mangingisda doon," David said.
"Nakapagbigay sila nga total of 1000 liters of fuel at 100 food packs doom sa Bajo de Masinloc. Kaya ang masasabi po natin mission accomplised, mission success tayo!" she remarked.
The Atin Ito Coalition said volunteers achieved their main objectives: a small fishing boat regatta and the release of the symbolic bouy with the “WPS Atin Ito! ”markings, and fuel and food pack distribution to small fisherfolk in the vicinity of the Bajo de Masinloc.
The Atin Ito contingent is expected to arrive at the Subic fish port at midnight on May 17.
This is the second civilian mission ever conducted in WPS since 2023, in which 40 boats participated.
Bajo de Masinloc, or Scarborough Shoal, is a place of tension between the Philippines and China, as Filipino front liners were harassed and China shooed away fishermen in the area.
