Pagasa Island to open for ‘patriotic’ tours

MANILA, Philippines — The local government of Kalayaan town, which administers Pag-asa (Thitu) Island, will open the area to tours in a bid to bolster patriotism.

“Patriotic tourism is primarily focused on the story of the island,” said Kalayaan town councilor Francis Polizon during a press conference on Tuesday.

For now, Polizon said the tours will be open only to Palawan residents “this year,” with further announcements to be made in due time.

Polizon noted that while the island has no tourist facilities, its history gives it an edge.

“Other countries might have better views, but what we can offer is [the story of] our heroes there,” he said, noting that tourists could hear firsthand the story of resilience from local residents.

“We don’t have a five-star hotel there; we don’t have a swimming pool, but we have the vast West Philippine Sea, as clear as crystal,” he added.

During the same press conference, Akbayan party-list Rep. Percival Cendaña said his group would push for a bigger 2027 budget to fund infrastructure projects in Kalayaan town.

Cendaña said his party-list is eyeing a proposed P462 million budget to fund the island’s infrastructure, such as roads, sewerage, and waste management facilities.

He added, citing the LGU’s proposal, that the amount would also cover dormitories for medical personnel and teachers, an LGU operations center, housing units, a multipurpose building, and even a minibus.

READ: West Philippine Sea: Large fleet of Chinese ships seen in Pagasa Island

Pagasa Island is the largest feature of the Kalayaan Island Group in the West Philippine Sea, home to about 400 residents, including troops, law enforcers, and civilian government personnel.

Having established effective occupation and control over it, Manila asserts sovereignty over the 12-nautical-mile territorial sea of Pagasa Island, which lies beyond the western section of the country’s exclusive economic zone.

The seat of government of the Kalayaan municipality regularly sees the presence of Chinese ships, sometimes even entering inside its territorial sea. /mcm