Jauhn Etienne Villaruel

Article (news)

Rowegie Abanto

Bianca Dava

ABS-CBN News

<div><br/></div><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1771474242533composites 2 (1) (8).jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" spellcheck="false" style="text-align:left">Namria releases updated PH map, explains EEZ and &#x27;coordinates&#x27; after Marcoleta criticism. <em>Screen grab from Senate of the Philippines/Namria</em></span></span></span></div><div><br/></div><p>MANILA — The National Mapping and Resource Information Authority (<a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/11/8/namria-to-release-new-updated-ph-map-1501">Namria</a>) on Wednesday released an <a href="https://namria.gov.ph/Downloads/AdminMap/AdminMapPH.jpg?fbclid=IwY2xjawQDWl9leHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETJsSEpab2FqMjYySUljZG5xc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHg28TsOW9wxS90INnGsnAkZKukOyLdR6gzk9OzXkvNkVCrLyI7KunUCi-ANM_aem_seC0A4q3Nbs_-Ay1qiqcRw">updated map</a> of the Philippines showing the West Philippine Sea, which it said has been on official maps since 2012.</p><p>Former President Benigno &quot;Noynoy&quot; Aquino III, through his Administrative Order 29 signed in 2012, named the maritime areas on the western side of the Philippine archipelago the West Philippine Sea. </p><p>The order mandated Namria to produce and publish charts and maps of the Philippines reflecting the West Philippine Sea.</p><p>The agency&#x27;s statement comes after Sen. Rodante Marcoleta questioned the existence of the West Philippine Sea, which <a href="https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=899370139340775">he said does not have exact coordinates</a>, and that the Kalayaan Island Group lies outside the country&#x27;s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/2/6/maritime-law-expert-slams-marcoleta-s-call-to-give-up-kalayaan-islands-2031">Maritime law expert slams Marcoleta’s call to give up Kalayaan islands</a></div><p>Namria explained that under international law, the EEZ extends up to 200 nautical miles from the country&#x27;s archipelagic baselines, creating a &quot;continuous curved boundary, similar to the edge of a circle, not a polygon made of straight lines.&quot;</p><p>&quot;Because of this, a short list of coordinates would not accurately describe the maritime limit. The boundary is therefore represented through precise geospatial data derived from the archipelagic baselines defined in RA 9522, allowing navigation systems and mapping software to determine the limit correctly,&quot; it said.</p><p>Republic Act No. 9522, also known as the Baselines Law, defines and describes the baselines of the Philippine archipelago.</p><p>In 2016, the Permanent Court of Arbitration upheld the Philippines&#x27; sovereign rights in the West Philippine Sea and ruled that China&#x27;s sweeping claims in the South China Sea have no basis in international law.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/2/9/afp-reiterates-won-t-cede-one-square-inch-of-territory-after-marcoleta-s-give-up-remark-1350">AFP reiterates won&#x27;t cede &#x27;one square inch&#x27; of territory after Marcoleta&#x27;s &#x27;give up&#x27; remark</a></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>&#x27;INTEGRATED INTO GLOBAL MARITIME RECORD&#x27;</strong></div><div><br/></div><p>The mapping agency added that its nautical charts follow international hydrographic standards and are &quot;utilized by both Philippine and foreign vessels navigating waters under Philippine jurisdiction.&quot; </p><p>&quot;The charts are also submitted to relevant international technical bodies, including the International Hydrographic Organization,&quot; it said.</p><p>&quot;Through these established technical processes, Philippine geographic information is integrated into the global maritime record and supports safe navigation and responsible maritime activity.&quot;</p><p>Namria said it would continue to uphold its mandate in support of national sovereignty and maritime safety.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>&#x27;MATAGAL NANG MAY MAPA&#x27;</strong></div><div><br/></div><p>Lawyer Jay Batongbacal, director of the University of the Philippines Institute for Maritime Affairs and Law of the Sea, confirmed Thursday that the map released by Namria on Wednesday is the latest edition, but said that the West Philippine Sea has been on the agency&#x27;s maps since 2012 and 2013.</p><p>Batongbacal <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xo6OnjkuxxU">told DZMM</a> that countries can submit maps to the United Nations Office of the Secretary-General for information dissemination, noting that the international body recognizes but remains neutral on nations&#x27; territorial and sovereign rights assertions.</p><p>&quot;Gumamit na ako ng mapa nila before. Kaya sinasabi ko noong nag-umpisa ang kontrobersya na ito, lalo noong si Senator [Marcoleta] ay naglabas pa ng resolution na mag-inquiry sa Namria, iyan ang sagot. Nasoplak naman. Matagal nang may mapa eh. Hindi naman kasi nagtatanong,&quot; Batongbacal said.</p><p>&quot;Pahiwatig din iyan sa ating taumbayan na huwag magpadala sa mga haka-haka ng mga hindi naman nakakaalam,&quot; he added.</p><p>Asked whether China could react negatively to the official administrative map, Batongbacal said: &quot;Wala silang karapatang mag-alburoto dahil sila naman nag-iisyu ng mapa. Eh di mag-isyu sila ng sarili nilang mapa.&quot;</p><div> </div><div><strong>&#x27;NO GLOBAL REGISTRY OF SEAS&#x27;</strong></div><div> </div><p>Former Sen. Francis Tolentino meanwhile addressed questions on whether the West Philippine Sea has been &quot;registered&quot; internationally.</p><p>He told a forum that there is no global registry for seas or oceans.</p><p>&quot;Ang talaan talaga na nasa UN — sa Division of Ocean Affairs and Law of the Sea o DOALAS — ay &#x27;yung coordinates, &#x27;yung maritime entitlements, &#x27;yung zones,&quot; he said.</p><p>According to the former senator, the Philippines submitted its maritime coordinates to the UN DOALAS in 2009. </p><p>He also clarified that the International Hydrographic Organization is a technical organization for navigational safety and is not part of the UN system under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).</p><div> </div><div><strong>LAWFARE AND DISINFORMATION</strong></div><div> </div><p>Tolentino said the Philippines has strengthened its legal position under UNCLOS and through the 2016 arbitral award. </p><p>However, disinformation poses a new challenge, he said.</p><p>&quot;We have won the lawfare. Sa law warfare, panalo tayo sa mga batas natin, sa UNCLOS, sa arbitral ruling. Dito tayo ngayon ginigiba, sa disinformation. So, ang narrative nila [China] para gibain ang batas,&quot; Tolentino said.</p><p>&quot;Noong una, sabi nila, it’s a mere scrap of paper. Nang makagawa ng dalawang batas, nagre-react na sila. Tuloy-tuloy na ang ingay nila. We are now in a stage wherein the other side is trying to legitimize their position, so dadaanan talaga natin ang hamon na ito. Kung hanggang kailan, hindi ko na alam,&quot; he added.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEOS</strong></div><div><strong><br/><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/RIPjpuZLNME?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><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/k2fqoKpyiSI?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><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/CEhEP0r6gBY?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span></strong><br/></div><div> </div>

<p>The National Mapping and Resource Information Authority (Namria) on Wednesday released an updated map of the Philippines showing the West Philippine Sea, which it said has been on official maps since 2012.</p>

The National Mapping and Resource Information Authority (Namria) on Wednesday released an updated map of the Philippines showing the West Philippine Sea, which it said has been on official maps since 2012.

Namria releases updated PH map, explains EEZ and 'coordinates' after Marcoleta criticism

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Namria releases updated PH map, explains EEZ and 'coordinates' after Marcoleta criticism

Rowegie Abanto,

Bianca Dava,

ABS-CBN News

Published Feb 19, 2026 12:48 PM PHT

|

Updated Feb 19, 2026 03:17 PM PHT

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West Philippine Sea

Rodante Marcoleta

Jay Batongbacal

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