Kalayaan urges media to prioritize town name over Pag-asa

PUERTO PRINCESA CITY, Palawan — The Kalayaan municipal council, situated in the contested waters of the West Philippine Sea, is urging local and national media organizations to prioritize their town's name over that of Pag-asa Island when writing their news reports.

This advocacy is in Resolution No. 156-015 of 2023, authored by Councilor Maurice Phillip Alexis Albayda, which they unanimously approved on 20 December during their regular session.

His resolution calls on members of the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines, Foreign Correspondents Association of the Philippines, Western Command Defense Press Corps, and other media organizations in the country to adopt the name "Kalayaan" rather than "Pag-asa Island" when referencing their town.

Albayda emphasized that this preference would ensure precise and consistent identification of geographical locations within the West Philippine Sea, especially those under their jurisdiction.

Kalayaan's jurisdiction includes Philippine-claimed features like Pag-asa Island, which functions as their town's administrative center, along with Patag, Likas, Lawak, Parola, Kota, Rizal Reef, Ayungin Shoal, and various other areas covering 66,000 square miles.

"The representatives of the people from the municipality of Kalayaan came together in this resolution to advocate for our sovereignty and territorial integrity. We recognize the media as valuable allies in establishing enduring standards and references, especially in acknowledging the legitimacy of the Municipality of Kalayaan, Palawan," Albayda said Saturday.

He cited Presidential Decree 1596 of 1978, issued by then-President Ferdinand Marcos, which officially established Kalayaan as a municipality in Palawan and delineated its territorial jurisdiction.

"This is an assertive push for our rights and authority in the reefs, archipelagos, seas, and other parts of our West Philippine Sea. This is for our courageous citizens and for our beloved Philippines," Albayda said.

"This is for public recall and awareness that the West Philippine Sea is ours," he added.

Albayda strongly believes in the media's potential to aid in disseminating information about their municipality in the WPS, which is Kalayaan, rather than singling out Pag-asa Island.

Presently, Kalayaan has a population of around 227 residents living in 66 households.