Ilocos Sur students embark on West Philippine Sea info drive

From the Philippine Information Agency (Aug 17): Ilocos Sur students embark on West Philippine Sea info drive

Vigan City, Ilocos Sur– The call to help make the issue on the West Philippine Sea popular among their families, friends and fellow youth  struck the students of the University of Northern Philippines to the core during the multi-sectoral forum on West Philippines Sea led by the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA).

Today, the College of Political Science students are rallying for a blast on the issue. They are urging their fellow students to actively respond to “what is  ours, is ours,”  focusing on the destruction of the West Philippine Sea by the Chinese and the loss of livelihood of affected families in these areas.

When DFA Spokesperson Charles Jose challenged the UNP students to help share what they learned in the forum, Marie Therese Rodriguez, 20,  president of the Politically-Inclined Students (POLIS) of the university, and Rosiebelle Torrano,18,  senior mayor of the Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, not only noted it on their pads. They also etched a plan in their own college organization, the  POLIS.

With their position paper, joining the government in the fight for the West Philippine Sea properties of the country, the POLIS will  come out with  a big  campus  event on September 1-10 this year, Rodriguez told the Philippine Information Agency- Ilocos Sur at the Provincial Capitol in this city.

The event will start not only on just another ordinary day, but  on September 1, the  day announced by the Vatican as the World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation.  This is the latest action of Pope Francis to stir environmental issues into the world. September 1 is the Orthodox Church’s day for environmental protection, and the students want to pray with the world in the protection of the West Philippine Sea.

Using resources from their group, the POLIS, with the support of the adviser, Cid A. Javier, the political science students will distribute leaflets, bookmarks, badges, posters while they will discuss their position paper on the West Philippine Sea issue in every classroom.

During these encounters with their fellow students, added Rodriguez, they will gather opinion, and conduct further research  from which they will base the foundation of the September 10 forum.  A post-forum  research will help them file the students’ reactions on the issue.

After this, they will continue to share  this issue via the Facebook page, Environmental Activism, and their personal Twitter and Instagram accounts, with the hashtag, “What is ours, is ours.”

The Kabataan Party List will also help in the campaign, added Torrano, by inviting speakers for the forum.

With the support of Dr. Gilbert Arce, the school president who was recently re-appointed for another four-year term,  the students hope to go on with the campaign.

http://news.pia.gov.ph/article/view/391439540756/ilocos-sur-students-embark-on-west-philippine-sea-info-drive