Fisherfolk group urges Marcos to assert WPS rights at UNGA

A fisherfolk group is urging President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to assert the Philippines' rights over the West Philippine Sea during his address at the 77th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York.

The Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) wants Marcos to remind UNGA delegates, particularly Chinese officials, of the country's legal and political claims over the disputed waters.

Pamalakaya national chair Fernando Hicap stated that President Marcos Jr. should diplomatically reassert the Philippines' sovereign and territorial rights and tell China to cease its military buildup and reclamation activities in the West Philippine Sea.

While President Marcos Jr. plans to focus on economic recovery, food security, and agricultural productivity at the UNGA, Pamalakaya wants him to also highlight the challenges faced by Filipino fisherfolk in the Chinese-occupied West Philippine Sea.