In a rare moment of poetic display, Ambassador Franz-Michael Mellbin of the Kingdom of Denmark penned a heartfelt haiku about the Philippines’ perseverance to protect its sovereign rights in the West Philippine Sea (WPS), capturing the heart of Department of National Defense (DND) Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr.
The haiku is a Japanese poem with 17 syllables arranged in three lines of five, seven, and five syllables.
The haiku titled “West is Philippines” read:
Waves kiss stolen shores,
Wooden boats in steel’s shadow
Freedom fights the tide.
Upon receiving the haiku from Mellbin, Teodoro was deeply moved that he issued a memorandum to all chiefs of DND offices and Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Chief of Staff, General Romeo Brawner Jr. dated Thursday, Feb. 6, to share with them the literary present.
“It was dedicated to our friendship but I believe it is truly dedicated to all of us who are struggling for our sovereignty,” Teodoro said of the haiku in his memorandum.
The defense chief specifically highlighted the sacrifice of the crew of the BRP Sierra Madre guarding the country’s outpost in the Ayungin (Second Thomas) Shoal in his appreciation of the haiku.
In a separate statement on Saturday, Feb. 8, the DND said that the haiku was a “fitting tribute to the enduring courage and perseverance of the Filipino people” and the “valiant soldiers of our outposts maintaining our presence in the West Philippine Sea” as they fight for and uphold the country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
The Danish envoy’s haiku came as the AFP and Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) continued to defend the country’s rights in the WPS amid China’s incursion.
China has claimed almost the entire South China Sea, including features located in the 200-nautical mile exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of the Philippines, particularly in its west coast or the WPS.
On Friday, China Coast Guard (CCG) “5901”, also known as the “monster” ship and regarded as the biggest coast guard vessel in the world, returned to Bajo de Masinloc (Scarborough or Panatag Shoal, according to the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG).
The PCG said that CCG-5901 relieved another Chinese ship, CCG-3304, which sailed closer to the coast of Zambales but was kept at a distance by BRP Teresa Magbanua for over a week now.
CCG-5901 was located approximately 120 nautical miles from Bajo de Masinloc while CCG-3304 was 105 nautical miles from the coast of Zambales.
China has maintained a deployment of different coast guard ships to the coast of Zambales since Jan. 4 in what the PCG sees as a strategy to "normalize" its presence in the area.
AFP: We will defend national sovereignty
Meanwhile, the AFP reiterated its commitment to upholding national sovereignty and safeguarding territorial integrity, using all available means in full adherence to international law.
"Even with limited resources compared to other foreign powers, the AFP, together with the Philippine Coast Guard and other government agencies, will continue to assert our rights and fulfill our mandate of protecting our people and territory," AFP spokesperson Col. Francel Margareth Padilla said.
"We remain unwavering in our efforts to enhance our defense capabilities through sustained modernization, cooperative activities with like-minded nations, and proactive maritime patrols to secure our waters," she noted.
The AFP issued the statement after President Marcos' admission last Thursday that the country lacks capable assets such as ships -- destroyers, frigates, and submarines -- to drive away Chinese ships loitering the country's waters.