More celebrate WPS label on Google Maps: Victory for PH

MANILA, Philippines — More groups and officials celebrate Google Maps’ decision to label the country’s western waters as the West Philippine Sea (WPS), saying that it is a significant victory for the Philippines’ territorial assertion.

Sen. Joel Villanueva in a statement on Tuesday said that the label from Google Maps is a win against China’s attempts to bully the Philippines by encroaching on the latter’s territory.

READ: West Philippine Sea seen on Google Maps

“Assigning and specifying in Google Maps the West Philippine Sea area is a big victory for the country against China’s attempts to bully us by forcing entry into our territory. There is power in labeling; in this case, it clarifies ownership and establishes identity, serving as a global recognition of our rightful ownership of WPS,” Villanueva said, speaking partly in Filipino and English.

READ: West PH Sea label on Google Maps backs PH territorial integrity – Romualdez

According to Villanueva, while there is no doubt that the WPS is owned by the Philippines, this declaration from a widely-used map is still significant as it teaches children that the western waters are indeed part of the territory.

“There is no doubt that the West Philippine Sea is ours. We won the legal battle last July 12, 2016. This will remain true regardless of how many decades and administrations would pass by,” he said, referring to the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) award in 2016.

‘Milestone’

“But this milestone is also important in teaching and giving clarity to each Filipino, especially the children, on topics surrounding territorial integrity and sovereignty of our country, especially in the age of digital technology,” he added.

Trabaho party-list meanwhile said that it is laudable that Google increased the font size for the WPS label, as it sends a clear message that the area is owned by the Philippines.

“The size of the West Philippines Sea label matters as it speaks clearly of our ownership and rights—atin ang West Philippine Sea — and the international community can see that as well,” Mitchell-David Espiritu, Trabaho party-list spokesperson, said in a statement.

“The extraction of natural resources, including oil and gas reserves, and the development of fisheries [in the WPS], could significantly contribute to the nation’s economy while providing much-needed jobs,” he added. “We must be proactive in preparing our workforce for the future, and so we really welcome this Google Map update.”

According to Espiritu, asserting the Philippines’ sovereign rights over the area bodes well for future generations of Filipinos as they can enjoy the resources from the water and the continental shelf within the exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

“By asserting our sovereignty — it’s about ensuring that existing and future generations of Filipinos can benefit from the wealth and resources in our own waters,” he noted.

Earlier, no less than House of Representatives Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez said that Google Maps’ label reinforces the government’s assertions on territorial integrity and sovereignty.

Romualdez said this may be a simple update, but it shows a global acknowledgement of efforts to insist that the western waters are part of the country’s EEZ.

Before, WPS labels were only placed as pins entered by netizens or Google Maps users — which led sectors and personalities like Sagip party-list Rep. Rodante Marcoleta to say that the WPS is non-existent.

Marcoleta said this during a House hearing, but he eventually clarified that while it was not wrong to refer to the western waters as WPS, the term was not indicated on international maps.

Meanwhile, Villanueva said that discussions about the WPS — including the PCA award — should be included in the curriculum offered to children.

PCA said in its decision released last July 12, 2016 that China’s nine-dash line claim — which encompasses part of the WPS — is invalid for not having a legal and historical basis.

“As I said last year, studying the country’s aquatic resources, drawing the Philippine map, and identifying islands and waters within our territory, and the importance of the Arbitral Ruling and diplomacy should be included in children’s curriculum,” Villanueva said.

“If we are to strengthen the narrative of our country on the West Philippine issue, we need to inspire, transform, and educate the younger generation,” he added.

(2025/04/15-22:59)