Senator Jinggoy Estrada has moved to formalize the teaching of the West Philippine Sea (WPS) issue in schools, filing Senate Bill 1424 that seeks to make lessons on the country’s maritime territory mandatory in both public and private elementary institutions.
Estrada said the initiative is meant to strengthen national awareness among the youth on the Philippines’ territorial rights and its position under international law. “It is imperative that we inculcate in our youth patriotism and pride, nurture a full understanding about our legitimate sovereign rights and entitlements under international law,” he stated.
The senator emphasized the importance of informed citizens in addressing ongoing maritime tensions, noting the need to “empower our citizens with knowledge and appreciation beneficial in defending and protecting what is rightfully ours.”
He cited a report from the Philippine Information Agency indicating that the Department of Education is already preparing to include lessons on the WPS in the elementary curriculum. Estrada said his bill aims to broaden that effort and ensure that it is institutionalized through legislation.
According to him, the measure also seeks to help students understand “continuing illegal acts, aggressive encroachment, and bullying tactics of our neighboring country,” referencing the longstanding maritime dispute in the South China Sea. He pointed to the 2016 arbitral ruling in The Hague, which affirmed the Philippines’ rights within its exclusive economic zone and held that “there was no legal basis for China’s nine-dash line claims.”
Estrada stressed the importance of education in combating misinformation. He warned against “truth-twisting, black propaganda and disinformation channeled through elaborate networks which sow confusion and disunity among our people and ultimately aimed to weaken our resolve as a nation.”
