I've always taken pride in our nation's spirit. Filipinos are known for their resilience and courage, our ability to face adversity with a smile. But when it comes to the issue of the West Philippine Sea, I can't shake a growing sense of unease. It feels like we're caught in a troubling contradiction – bold proclamations of sovereignty clashing with a reality that seems increasingly precarious. I've followed this issue for years, watching as our government has made strong statements about protecting our territorial waters. President Marcos, like those before him, has pledged to stand up to China's aggression.  I want to believe him. I want to believe that we won't be bullied, that we'll defend what's rightfully ours. But then I see the news reports, the images of our small, outmatched vessels facing off against China's maritime armada. I hear about the tense encounters during resupply missions to the BRP Sierra Madre, that rusting hulk of a ship

Nakakagalit at nakakalungkot.  As I watched Joseph Morong’s TikTok video about the West Philippine Sea getting muted, my blood boiled. It was like a gut punch. Here was a vigilant journalist, trying to bring to light the truth about our waters, only to be silenced by a platform notorious for its ties to China. This wasn’t just about a video; it was about a blatant attempt to suppress our voice. TikTok's Controversial Actions Joseph Morong is just one of many vigilant reporters covering the West Philippine Sea. When his content was muted by TikTok, it wasn’t just silencing one man—it was silencing a nation. Filipinos everywhere reacted with fury and disbelief. TikTok, owned by ByteDance, a Beijing-based company, has been under scrutiny for its data practices and censorship tendencies. This incident is just another addition to a long list of grievances​  China's Aggressive Tactics in the West Philippine Sea China's behavior in the West Philippine Sea has been nothing short of