Christmas lanterns express soldiers’ views on WPS

SYMBOLS Soldiers put importance on asserting the country’s rights over the West Philippine Sea in lanterns displayed inside the camp of the Army’s 54th Engineer Brigade in Zamboanga City. —Photos by Julie S. Alipala

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines — Soldiers at the Army’s 54th Engineer Brigade headquarters here brought their calls for the respect of the country’s rights over the West Philippine Sea (WPS) into the design of Christmas symbols.

Colorful lanterns made from locally sourced materials hung in every building inside their headquarters, expressing the soldiers’ sentiment on the issue and hoping to increase public awareness on the need to protect the country’s territorial waters.

Lt. Col. Gabriel Tayko, assistant chief of staff for civil and military operations of the 54th Engineer Brigade, said that instead of the traditional images like the Nativity, the Holy Family adorned with ribbons, tinsels, bells and balls for Christmas, the military upcycled available materials to produce lanterns showing Filipino fisherfolk sailing toward the WPS, part of the South China Sea that belong to the territorial waters of the country but is being claimed by China.

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The lanterns, prominently displayed at the administration building and at Sarangay Clubhouse of the brigade headquarters in Barangay Cabatangan, also showcase the rich resources of the sea, highlighting the Philippine flag and the military’s position on the country’s territorial rights.

“We hope to resonate with a wider audience and to increase the awareness of our fellow Filipinos about our position,” Tayko said. “We aim to show our people the truth so that we don’t easily get swayed.”

He noted that China had been trying to sow disinformation and misinformation to divide Filipinos on the issue.

Patriotism

Brig. Gen. Darwin Hernandez, commander of the 54th Engineer Brigade, said they wanted to “strengthen” patriotism during the Christmas season through their campaign to protect the WPS.

Soldiers from the cities of Pagadian, Cotabato and Zamboanga and those from Tungawan town in Zamboanga Sibugay, Luuk town in Sulu, and Datu Odin Sinsuat in Maguindanao del Norte were tapped to design and create the lanterns.

“[Hernandez] wanted to create something unique and meaningful that could send the message to the people and he saw the facility here as ideal to display the artworks of our soldiers,” Tayko said.

The artworks also include posters anchored on the theme, “Our Seas, Our Rights, Our Future.”

Soldiers painted posters showing Filipinos working together to defend the WPS.