Camille Naredo

The West Philippine Sea on Google Maps. Screenshot/Google Maps

Article (news)

West Philippine Sea

Pia Gutierrez

ABS-CBN News

<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/1745218839717042125_WPS.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="The West Philippine Sea on Google Maps. Screenshot/Google Maps"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">The West Philippine Sea on Google Maps. <em>Screenshot/Google Maps</em></span></span></span></div><p>MANILA -- Malacanang welcomed the decision of Google Maps to label a portion of the South China Sea west of the Philippines as the West Philippine Sea.</p><p>An official said Monday that the move is a recognition of the international community&#x27;s support to the country&#x27;s territorial claims backed by UNCLOS.</p><p>&quot;Definitely po, masaya po ito, nakakatuwa po ito. Kung hindi po tayo nagkakamali ay last week pa po ito nabalita kaya alam namin kung gaano po iyong kasiyahan, hindi lamang ito para sa atin, para ito sa buong bansa,&quot; Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said in a Malacanang briefing.</p><p>&quot;Masaya na makilala ang West Philippine Sea, kahit na ang iba ay sinasabing gawa-gawa lamang daw ang West Philippine Sea. Muli, dahil nagkaroon ng pagkilala sa isang platform katulad po ng google maps, ito po ay isang ipinagpupunyagi po ito, dahil sa pagkilala ng West Philippine Sea ay sa atin,&quot; she continued.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/4/14/west-philippine-sea-is-now-on-google-maps-1643">READ: West Philippine Sea is now on Google Maps</a></div><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/4/15/nsc-official-says-west-philippine-sea-label-on-google-maps-a-big-victory-1712">READ: &#x27;West Philippine Sea&#x27; tag on Google Maps a &#x27;big victory&#x27; -- official</a></div><p>Castro also quoted the National Maritime Council in saying that the inclusion of the West Philippine Sea in a global platform such as Google Maps will help in informing people around the world about the country&#x27;s maritime entitlements.</p><p>&quot;Muli ring iginiit ng NMC ang kanilang commitment na protektahan ang maritime rights ng Pilipinas batay sa international at domestic law. Hinihikayat din nila ang patuloy na pagkakaisa sa pagsulong ng interes ng Pilipinas partikular sa West Philippine Sea,&quot; Castro said.</p><p>A search on the global mapping platform last week showed that the portion of the South China Sea west of the Philippines is now labeled by Google Maps as the West Philippine Sea.</p><p>In a statement, Google said that the &quot;West Philippine Sea has always been labeled on Google Maps.&quot;</p><p>&quot;We recently made this label easier to see at additional zoom levels,&quot; a spokesperson said. </p><p>The term &quot;West Philippine Sea&quot; was first used in 2011 during the administration of the late president Benigno Aquino III when referring to the maritime areas on the western side of the archipelago that are within its 200-nautical mile exclusive economic zone (EEZ). </p><p>This, amid a territorial row with China, which claims a vast portion of the South China Sea based on its so-called nine-dash line. </p><p>This was eventually invalidated by the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague in its landmark decision in 2016 which China continues to ignore.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO:</strong></div><div><strong><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/lljreiU6UMU?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span></strong><br/></div>

<p>An official said Monday that the move is a recognition of the international community's support to the country's territorial claims backed by UNCLOS.</p>

An official said Monday that the move is a recognition of the international community's support to the country's territorial claims backed by UNCLOS.

Palace welcomes inclusion of West Philippine Sea on Google Maps

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Palace welcomes inclusion of West Philippine Sea on Google Maps

Pia Gutierrez,

ABS-CBN News

Published April 21, 2025 03:07 PM PHT

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Google Maps

West Philippine Sea

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