A call for unity and a warning against internal division were raised during a Mass on Pag-asa Island on March 28, as tensions in the West Philippine Sea continue to draw concern.
The message was delivered by Bishop Socrates Mesiona, who urged Filipinos to remain united and cautioned against actions that could undermine national interest.
Delivering what residents described as the first Mass on the island presided over by a bishop, Mesiona underscored the need for solidarity among Filipinos living in the remote outpost.
“Ang nagtraydor kay Hesus ay hindi mga Romano kundi mga kapwa Hudyo. Ang Simbahan ay maging simbolo ng pagkakaisa. Sana hindi kapwa Pilipino ang magtraydor sa atin,” Mesiona said, drawing parallels between the Gospel message ahead of Palm Sunday and present-day challenges.
He emphasized that communities in isolated areas like Pag-asa draw strength from faith.
“Napakalayo at isolated ang lugar na ito… humuhugot ng lakas ang komunidad sa kanilang pananampalataya kay Hesus,” he said.
The bishop described the island as both a place of hardship and spiritual encounter.
“Ang isang isolated na lugar ay maaaring ituring na disyerto—isang lugar ng tukso. Ngunit dito rin maaaring matagpuan ang Diyos,” he added.
Mesiona also urged residents to stand firm in asserting their identity and claim over the territory.
“Mapalakas ang paninindigan na atin ang lugar na ito. Nakakalungkot kung kapwa Pilipino ang magsasabing hindi ito atin. May this be a sign of unity,” he said.
Following the Mass, Mesiona led the groundbreaking of a Catholic chapel on the island, joined by retired associate justice Antonio Carpio, Philippine Coast Guard spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea Jay Tarriela, Atty. Teodoro Jose Matta of the Palawan Council for Sustainable Development, and Kalayaan SB Member Francis Polizon.
The planned chapel, to be built on a 1,200-square-meter site, will serve as the first permanent Catholic place of worship on Pag-asa Island.
Pag-asa Island, part of the Kalayaan Island Group in the West Philippine Sea, hosts a small civilian population alongside government personnel amid ongoing efforts to strengthen community life and assert Philippine presence in the disputed waters.
