The Manila Times

Civic group installs first civilian marker on Pag-asa Island, donates P1.2M in aid

MANILA, Philippines — A Manila-based civic organization installed the first permanent marker by a non-military group on Pag-asa Island im the West Philippine Sea on Friday, coinciding with the delivery of nearly P1.2 million worth of educational donations to students and schools in one of the country's most remote communities. The Fraternal Order of Eagles–Philippine Eagles Inc. (TFOE-PE), led by national president Ronald F. Delos Santos, unveiled the Eagle's Marker at around 11 a.m. after arriving on the island aboard Philippine Air Force transport aircraft. Mission leader Joseph Jocson, who heads the organization's Triple D committee, said the installation was a first for any civilian organization on the island. "On Pag-asa Island, we are the first to have placed a marker there," Jocson said in a post-mission interview. Kalayaan Island Vice Mayor Maurice Philip Alexis Albayda confirmed the feat, noting that previous groups had expressed interest in installing markers but failed due to the island's formidable logistical barriers. "There were those who signified they also wanted to put up a marker. But we all know it's not that easy," he said. The marker was constructed by local Pag-asa residents, providing them with livelihood income in the process. During the unveiling ceremony, TFOE-PE described it as a symbol of civic participation and national sovereignty — "a declaration, quiet yet powerful, that Filipinos, united in brotherhood and service, are present, vigilant, and committed to our national identity." The centerpiece of the group's donation package was 40 Android tablets valued at approximately at P1 million, intended to expand digital learning access for children on the island. The national office contributed an additional P200,000 in school supplies, recreational materials, and medical equipment, bringing total donations to just under P1.2 million. Other donated items included school chairs, bags and supplies, an LED television, water dispensers, hygiene kits, canned goods, and athletic footwear. Reaching the island required coordination with the Rotary Club of Camp Crame, which arranged military air transport. The group flew via C-130 to Puerto Princesa City for refueling, then continued to Pag-asa aboard a C295 aircraft — a journey of under two hours from Puerto Princesa. Without military aircraft, Jocson noted, the trip required a two- to three-day boat voyage. "It's extremely far," he said of the island's distance from mainland Palawan. The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) allotted the group approximately three hours on the island, within which they completed the marker unveiling, the donation turnover ceremony, and meetings with local officials and residents. Pag-asa Island, also known as Thitu, is the largest Philippine-occupied island in the disputed Spratly archipelago in the West Philippine Sea.