RETIRED Associate Justice Antonio Carpio returned to Pag-asa Island on Saturday for the first time since 2012, when the Philippines was preparing its arbitration case against China over competing claims in the West Philippine Sea.
Carpio traveled to Pag-asa Island to attend the groundbreaking ceremony for what will be the first Roman Catholic Church on the island, a project aimed at supporting both civilian residents and government personnel stationed in the area.
“Many things have changed here. It looks better now,” said Carpio, who is widely regarded as one of the “key architects” of the Philippines’ legal strategy against China’s claims in the South China Sea.
He was instrumental in advising the government to bring the dispute to an Unclos (United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea) arbitral tribunal, and was part of the official Philippine delegation to the Permanent Court of Arbitration at The Hague.
Also present at the ceremony were Philippine Coast Guard spokesman for the West Philippine Sea Rear Admiral Jay Tarriela, Bishop Socrates Mesiona and Palawan Council for Sustainable Development Staff Executive Director Teodoro Matta.
Mesiona presided over a Mass attended by residents of the island and led the groundbreaking rites for the church.
The project carries significance beyond its religious function, Tarriela said, describing it as a symbol of the community’s enduring presence in the West Philippine Sea.
“The primary objective of constructing this Roman Catholic Church on Pagasa Island is to fulfill and nurture the spiritual needs of our local residents, providing a sacred space where faith can flourish amid the threatening Chinese presence in the West Philippine Sea,” Tarriela said.
“Far more than a mere physical structure or architectural edifice, this church stands as a powerful symbol of hope, resilience and unity,” he added.
Tarriela said the initiative sends a clear message about the importance of the island to the country.
“This endeavor underscores a profound truth: that Pagasa Island is unequivocally worth fighting for and defending. It sends a clear and enduring message that this island is not just a strategic outpost, but a living, breathing community deserving the protection from our government,” he said.