Filipino youth activists brave the waves as they hoist a Philippine flag on the shores of Zambales on Monday facing the West Philippine Sea as a symbol of the country’s claim of the disputed territory. The group embarked on the flag-raising in time with the celebration of Philippine Independence. Jun Dumaguing, ABS-CBN News

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<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/173907401606720170612-independecne-flag-zambales-jd.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Filipino youth activists brave the waves as they hoist a Philippine flag on the shores of Zambales facing the West Philippine Sea as a symbol of the country’s claim of the territory. <em>Jun Dumaguing, ABS-CBN News/File</em></span></span></span></div><p>MANILA —  The West Philippine Sea is not a figment of Filipinos&#x27; imaginations, a maritime law expert Sunday,  stressing the name is an official designation.</p><p>SAGIP Party-List Rep. Rodante Marcoleta at a House hearing last Tuesday on misinformation and disinformation claimed incorrectly that the West Philippine Sea — which refers to the country&#x27;s western waters — does not exist. </p><p>Speaking on TeleRadyo Serbisyo, lawyer Jay Batongbacal, director of the UP Institute for Maritime Affairs, said that the West Philippine Sea is an official name that the government gave to the country&#x27;s exclusive economic zone and continental shelf, which is 200 nautical miles from the baselines of the Philippine archipelago.</p><div><strong>LEGAL BASIS<br/></strong></div><p>Batongbacal cited former President Benigno &quot;Noynoy&quot; Aquino III&#x27;s Administrative Order No. 29 released in 2012 making West Philippine Sea an official designation to refer to waters west of the Philippines.</p><p>He added that this is also indicated in Republic Act 12064, or the Maritime Zones Act, which designates the country&#x27;s exclusive economic zone and continental shelf west of the Philippines the West Philippine Sea.</p><p>Batongbacal said the term West Philippine Sea is recognized by other nations, noting that whenever an incident occurs in the West Philippine Sea, they also use the name &quot;West Philippine Sea&quot; in their statements.</p><p>The Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague in 2016 ruled the Philippines has sovereign rights over its exclusive economic zone in the West Philippine Sea.</p><p>It also ruled that China&#x27;s sweeping assertion of ownership in the South China Sea that included parts of the West Philippine Sea had no legal basis. </p><p>Beijing ignores this decision and continues to insist on its claims. </p><div><strong>&#x27;DISSERVICE, EMBARRASSMENT&#x27;</strong></div><p>Marcoleta&#x27;s remarks have not sat well with the Philippine Coast Guard Commodore Jay Tarriela, PCG spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea, who called Marcoleta &quot;a disservice and an embarrassment to their entire party, the organization they belong to, and even their own family.&quot;</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/2025/2/5/tarriela-slams-marcoleta-over-west-philippine-sea-remarks-2149">Tarriela slams Marcoleta over West Philippine Sea remarks</a></div><p>President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. dismissed Marcoleta&#x27;s assertion as a tactic to grab headlines in the congressman&#x27;s bid for a Senate seat.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/2/6/marcos-jr-says-committed-to-defend-country-s-rights-in-west-ph-sea-1957">Marcos Jr. says committed to defend country&#x27;s rights in West PH Sea</a></div><div><strong>—with a report from Pia Gutierrez, ABS-CBN News</strong></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO:</strong></div><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/6PJ24pcxTQc?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div>

<p>A maritime law expert on Sunday stressed that the West Philippine Sea is an official designation, countering a House lawmaker's claim that it does not exist.</p>

A maritime law expert on Sunday stressed that the West Philippine Sea is an official designation, countering a House lawmaker's claim that it does not exist.

West Philippine Sea exists in law and in practice — maritime law expert | ABS-CBN

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West Philippine Sea exists in law and in practice — maritime law expert

West Philippine Sea exists in law and in practice — maritime law expert

ABS-CBN News

Published Feb 09, 2025 12:32 PM PHT

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