The national government launched its seventh regional advocacy campaign for the West Philippine Sea on Tuesday in Occidental Mindoro province, as the country continues efforts to assert its maritime rights amid ongoing territorial disputes with China.

The provincial caravan, themed “Collective Aspirations, Heroic Actions for the West Philippine Sea,” brought together national and Mindoreño officials to strengthen coordinated responses to maritime threats in the contested waters.

Occidental Mindoro is strategically located near disputed waters and hosts communities dependent on maritime resources for their livelihood.

“No external challenges can weaken our commitment to maintaining peaceful, secure, and prosperous communities,” Interior Undersecretary Nestor Sanares told participants at the Provincial Training Center in Mamburao.

The event focused on developing action plans for food security and economic growth in coastal communities, with workshops to validate provincial-level programs.

Officials also launched a new program called “Collective Aspirations for the West” to institutionalize maritime protection efforts.

Attendees included officials from the Department of Energy, environmental agencies, coast guard, police maritime group, and defense department, alongside marine science experts from the University of the Philippines and environmental organizations.

The West Philippine Sea is Malacañang’s term for its exclusive economic zone in the South China Sea, where the Philippines faces increasing obstacles to its maritime claims, particularly from China.

The provincial caravans, started in 2018, aim to strengthen local government participation in protecting Philippine maritime interests.

The South China Sea is one of the world’s most contested waterways, with competing claims from China, the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei, and Taiwan.

A 2016 international tribunal ruling invalidated China’s expansive claims in the vast area, though Beijing continues to reject the decision.