After expressing initial reluctance, the National Security Council (NSC) has allowed a civilian group to visit the general vicinity of Ayungin (Second Thomas) Shoal in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) to bring Christmas cheers to the Filipino troops stationed there.

NSC spokesperson Asst. Director General Jonathan Malaya said the Council held a dialogue with leaders of the ATIN ITO! Coalition, a group of advocates fighting for the country's rights in the WPS, for the planned civilian-led Christmas convoy.

Malaya said both parties agreed that a convoy to the BRP Sierra Madre, a Philippine Navy warship serving as the country's military outpost in Ayungin Shoal, "would not be advisable at this time since the safety of the civilian convoy is of paramount consideration."

"Nonetheless, the planned Christmas convoy will pass through the general vicinity of Ayungin Shoal as far as practicable, on its way to other selected PH-occupied features to bring Christmas cheer directly to our troops assigned to those areas as well as to our fisherfolks," Malaya said.

Aside from Ayungin, the convoy will also visit Pag-asa (Thitu) Island to bring goods to the troops assigned there.

"There, Christmas gifts and donated supplies for BRP Sierra Madre will be turned over to the Philippine Navy-AFP and to the Philippine Coast Guard for delivery during the regular rotation and resupply (RORE) missions," Malaya shared.

Malaya said that the agreement ensures the safety and security of the civilian convoy, ensuring the timely delivery of their donated items to the fisherfolk and frontliners.

He added that the civilians' visit to the Philippine-claimed features in the South China Sea will also uphold the country's sovereign rights to the area.

"We thank the ATIN ITO! Coalition for their cooperation and for finding common ground with government in asserting and defending our sovereignty, sovereign rights, and jurisdiction in pursuit of the national interest," Malaya said.

It can be recalled that the NSC initially rejected the planned civilian convoy to Ayungin Shoal, which has been the center of recent tension between the Philippines and China due to a territorial dispute.

In recent months, Chinese vessels had performed dangerous maneuvers against civilian boats that were bringing supplies to troops in Ayungin Shoal in an apparent attempt to block the Armed Forces of the Philippines' (AFP) RORE missions. It came to a point that Chinese vessels fired water cannon and collided with Philippine vessels just to stop the supply run.

The Council had said that undertaking such a convoy to Ayungin Shoal at this time of heightened tensions between the Philippines and China was "ill-advised".