MANILA, Philippines — In a bid to counter pro-China “propaganda,” lawmakers on Thursday filed a bill to integrate West Philippine Sea education into the elementary, high school, and college curricula.
House Bill No. 10587, or the West Philippine Sea Education Act, was filed by La Union 1st District Rep. Francisco Paolo Ortega, Zambales 1st District Rep. Jefferson Khonghun, Lanao del Sur 1st District Rep. Ziaur-Rahman “Zia” Alonto Adiong, 1 Rider Party-list Rep. Ramon Rodrigo “Rodge” Gutierrez, and Manila 1st District Rep. Ernesto Dionisio Jr.
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Under the bill, the Department of Education and the Commission on Higher Education would jointly lead the program in coordination with relevant government agencies, including the National Mapping and Resource Information Authority, the National Security Council, the Department of Foreign Affairs, the National Maritime Council, the Philippine Coast Guard, and the National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea.
Instruction under the bill would be anchored on internationally recognized legal instruments and rulings, including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and the 2016 South China Sea Arbitral Award.
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“Filipino students must learn the facts—that we are advocating for a rules-based international order, and that the West Philippine Sea is rightfully ours,” the lawmakers said in a joint statement.
“Our young people are vulnerable to fake news and propaganda flooding social media,” they added. “We have a duty to teach them the truth so they grow up armed with accurate, evidence-based knowledge of our sovereign rights and entitlements.”
Beijing claims sovereignty over almost the entire South China Sea, but Manila challenged the claim before an international tribunal, which affirmed the Philippines’ sovereign rights in its 2016 Arbitral Award.
Despite the ruling, the China Coast Guard and Navy have continued to subject Philippine vessels and fishing boats to aggressive actions, including the use of lasers and water cannons.
“It is very unfortunate that even some public officials are openly spreading the pro-China narrative and defending them while they water-cannon our men and the fisherfolk,” the lawmakers said.
“We believe that all Filipinos—especially the elected officials of the country—should not be traitors. We should stand up for what is ours,” they added. “To avoid growing up to be traitors to the country, we must start teaching the truth about the West Philippine Sea in our schools now.” — Rendell Ivan Manuel, INQUIRER trainee /mcm
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