On June 12, Monday, members of non-government organization DAKILA took to the contested waters and asserted Philippine sovereignty by raising the Philippine flag.
"We express our nationalism through our pledge in the continuous struggle for freedom," it said on a Facebook post, where it shared a photo of the event.
The group planted the flag in the sea at sunrise as the crowd sang the National Anthem. "Later on, surfers paddled out to bring the flag back to the waters and let it float in the West Philippine Sea," it said in a statement.
Flag-raising event culminated a three-day celebration held in Zambales, commemorating Philippine Independence.
DAKILA is a non-government organization composed of artists, students, and individuals advocating social consciousness formation among both their industry peers and their immediate audiences.