MARIING kinondena ni Karl Josef Legazpi, commissioner-at-large ng National Youth Commission (NYC) at chair ng committee on peacebuilding and security ng ahensya, ang mga maling pahayag na ikinakalat ng China na dati nitong pagmamay-ari ang Palawan.

“As the Commissioner-at-Large of the National Youth Commission and Chair of its Committee on Peacebuilding and Security, and a proud native of Palawan, I strongly denounce the false narratives being spread by the Communist government of China, claiming any right over my home province. These are nothing more than malicious disinformation—fabricated attempts to rewrite history and propagate a political agenda that every Filipino must firmly reject,” ani Legazpi.

Binigyang-diin ni Legazpi na hindi kailanman naging bahagi ng China ang Palawan at wala umanong batayan ang mga pahayag na ito ng Beijing.

Ipinunto rin niya na ayon sa pandaigdigang batas, partikular ang 2016 decision ng Permanent Court of Arbitration, pinawalang-bisa na ang malawakang pag-angkin ng China sa buong South China Sea.

“Palawan has never been part of China. Such claims are not only baseless but also an outright distortion of historical and legal facts. International law, including the 2016 ruling of the Permanent Court of Arbitration, has unequivocally repudiated China’s sweeping assertions in the South China Sea. Historical maps and records bear witness to the fact that Palawan has always been, and will always be, an integral part of the Philippines. Any effort to suggest otherwise is a dangerous attempt to seed falsehoods and erode our national sovereignty,” dagdag pa niya.

Binigyang-diin ni Legazpi ang mahalagang papel ng kabataan sa paglaban sa disimpormasyon at hinimok ang mga kabataang Pilipino na maging mapanuri at aktibong labanan ang propaganda ng China.

“The Filipino youth have a crucial role in defending the truth. We must be vigilant against these disinformation campaigns and prevent the spread of fabricated narratives. I urge my fellow young Filipinos to stand with our Palaweño brothers and sisters—reject Chinese propaganda, challenge those who echo these false claims, and ensure that misinformation has no place in our public discourse,” pahayag ni Legazpi.

Muling pinagtibay ni Legazpi ang kanyang paninindigan sa pangangalaga sa soberanya ng Pilipinas, hindi lamang sa usaping teritoryal kundi pati na rin sa paglaban sa digital disinformation.

“As a Palaweño and a Filipino, I stand firm in correcting these absurd assertions, not just for my province but for the entire nation. Let us protect our sovereignty, both in our territories and in the digital space, by championing truth and historical accuracy,” kanyang idineklara.

Sa ilalim ng pamumuno ni Legazpi sa peacebuilding at security, patuloy na isinusulong ng NYC ang mas aktibong partisipasyon ng kabataan sa mga isyu ng pambansang seguridad upang mapatatag ang pagmamahal sa bayan at katotohanan sa gitna ng lumalalang hamon sa geopolitika.