Pag-asa Island residents celebrate ‘EDSA’ with troops, Jollibee

PAG-ASA ISLAND, Palawan, Philippines – When 11-year-old Rogelio heard that Jollibee, the iconic mascot of the popular fastfood chain, would be visiting their rustic village, the boy brimmed over with excitement.

“We prepared for his visit. I wore my best clothes and we cleaned our school,” Rogelio, who was wearing polo shirt and jeans, said in an interview here yesterday.

His classmate Dave was delighted to see the mascot and to again taste the Chickenjoy fried chicken served by the fastfood chain.

Fish and vegetables are the staple food of the residents of this island in the Spratly archipelago.

“This is Jollibee’s first visit here. We are very happy to see him,” the grade five pupil said.

Local officials and the Armed Forces Western Command (WESCOM) made the visit possible to commemorate the 29th anniversary of the EDSA People Power revolution by reaching out to people on this island.

WESCOM chief Vice Admiral Alexander Lopez said the commemoration of the 1986 EDSA revolution in Pag-asa Island is symbolic as it emphasizes the need to safeguard our freedom.

“We took the opportunity to commemorate the EDSA revolution in this visit because the message of EDSA is very much applicable here. The message of EDSA is change and freedom,” Lopez told reporters.

“Here in Pag-asa, there is hope and freedom. Our freedom stems from our vigilance against the looming security threats in the region because of the developments involving claimants,” he added.

Lopez said their visit was also a peaceful way to emphasize the country’s territorial rights.

“We are here to show to our country and even to the world that this part of the globe is ours and we have a moral obligation to develop it and to look after the constituents,” he said.

Pag-asa is the biggest island occupied by the Philippines in the Spratlys.

The island has a total land area of about 37 hectares and is located within Kalayaan, a fifth class municipality of Palawan.

Kalayaan is part of the Spratly Islands also being claimed by China, Vietnam, Taiwan, Malaysia and Brunei.

The Philippines has built a town hall, a 1.3-kilometer airstrip, a naval station, a health center and a kindergarten school in Pag-asa to assert its ownership of the area.

Aside from distribution of food, the EDSA revolt anniversary in Pag-asa also included a mass, parlor games, a cultural presentation and gift giving to soldiers assigned on the island tasked to protect the Philippines’ territorial integrity.

Soldiers and local officials also distributed school supplies, groceries and bags to the more than 200 residents of the island.

Also present during the event were Kalayaan Mayor Eugenio Bito-onon, Palawan Vice Gov. Victorino Dennis Socrates and Puerto Princesa Apostolic Vicariate Bishop Pedro Arrigo.

In a mass held yesterday morning, Arrigo called on residents of this island to keep their faith in God despite the looming external threats posed by China.