By Priam Nepomuceno | Philippine News Agency
The National Security Council (NSC) on Tuesday rejected anew proposals by civilian organizations to form a “Christmas convoy” aimed at bringing holiday cheers to the military detachment aboard the BRP Sierra Madre (LS-57) in Ayungin Shoal.
“The NSC does not support the planned Christmas Convoy to BRP Sierra Madre in Ayungin Shoal or any similar undertaking to the said shoal,” NSC spokesperson Assistant Director General Jonathan Malaya said in a statement.
“While we support, in principle, the intent of the ‘Atin Ito’ coalition to bring holiday cheer to our WPS (West Philippine Sea) frontliners, undertaking such a convoy to Ayungin Shoal at this time of heightened tensions between the Philippines and China is ill-advised,” he said.
However, he added that the group could have this “Christmas convoy” sail to other Philippine occupied features in the Kalayaan Island Group where other Filipino troops and civilians can be found.
“Other than Ayungin, they can visit the following features: Lawak Island, Kota Island, Likas Island, Pag-asa Island, Parola lsland, Panata lsland, Patag Island, and Rizal Reef. There are also frontliners in those features and they also deserve Christmas goodies and donations from the public,” Malaya said.
By visiting these features, the NSC spokesperson said the group’s “Christmas convoy” would be able to visit a wider area of the WPS and realize further their goal of improving the living circumstances and operational capabilities of fisherfolk and other civilian communities in the area, as well as the WPS frontliners.
“If they wish, they can also turn-over to the Philippine Navy-Armed Forces of the Philippines (PN-AFP) and the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) the Christmas donations they have collected and we will gladly bring the donated supplies to BRP Sierra Madre during the routine rotation and resupply missions (RORE),” Malaya said.
He also stressed that the military detachments in Ayungin Shoal are well supplied by the PN-AFP and supported by the PCG through the regular RORE missions.
“There is, therefore, no need for a civilian ‘Christmas Convoy’ mission at this time,” Malaya said.
