Filipinos turn to rap music to fight for West Philippine Sea

The ship carrying Atin Ito volunteers safely return to Manila after completing a mission last May  (INQUIRER.net / FAITH ARGOSINO)

MANILA, Philippines—“Each rap is not just music; it is a voice raised for our seas, our sovereign rights and territorial integrity.”

This was how Atin Ito co-convenor and Akbayan Party president Rafaela “Paeng” David described the flood of entries to the coalition’s “Teritoryo: West Philippine Sea Rap Challenge,” which has drawn overwhelming support from Filipinos just a week after its launch.

“In just one week, we are already overwhelmed by the entries pouring in, proof that Filipinos are ready to turn rhythm into resistance,” David said in a statement on Wednesday.

Philippine Rural Reconstruction Movement president and fellow Atin Ito coconvenor Edicio dela Torre said the contest reflects a modern evolution of the country’s long protest tradition. 

“Where we once sang protest hymns, today’s generation raps online. The message is the same: Filipinos will always find their beat in the struggle for freedom and dignity,” Dela Torre said in a statement on Wednesday.

Atin Ito said the surge of entries underscores how deeply the defense of the West Philippine Sea resonates with ordinary citizens, particularly young people and overseas Filipinos.

The online challenge, launched on Aug. 11 in partnership with Filipino hip-hop collective Morobeats, invites participants to rap, sing, or deliver spoken-word pieces to the track “Teritoryo.”

Entries are posted on TikTok, Instagram Reels, Facebook Reels, or YouTube Shorts using the hashtags #TeritoryoRapChallenge and #WPSAtinIto.

The competition runs until Sept. 15. It also marks the celebration of Buwan ng Wika in the country.

The initiative comes amid continuing tensions in the West Philippine Sea. China’s mounting aggressions resulted in a collision on Aug. 1 of its Coast Guard vessel and Navy warship in pursuit of BRP Sulauan near Scarborough Shoal.

For Atin Ito Coalition, China’s intensifying harassment of Filipino fisherfolk and frontliners underscores “why Filipinos must stand united to peacefully and creatively defend the West Philippine Sea.”

Moreover, David said the campaign goes beyond music and social media virality as it “signals a birth of a cultural movement.” 

“This is cultural patriotism in motion. From seas to screens, Filipinos are showing that love of country can be rapped, remixed, and reimagined. Every beat that drops is a heartbeat for the West Philippine Sea.” /gsg