Manila: President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has mandated the adoption and use of Philippine names for over 100 maritime features in the Kalayaan Island Group (KIG), reinforcing the country's sovereignty and governance in the West Philippine Sea (WPS).
According to Philippines News Agency, under Executive Order (EO) 111 issued on March 26 and released Tuesday night, a standard set of Philippine names for 131 features located in Kalayaan, Palawan, and the WPS has been adopted upon the recommendation of the National Maritime Council (NMC). The NMC stated that standardizing the names is crucial for effective administration and governance, as well as strengthening the Philippines' sovereign rights over the area.
The EO directs the National Mapping and Resource Information Authority (NAMRIA) to produce and publish updated maps and charts reflecting the official names. It also requires all government agencies, including state-run firms and financial institutions, to use the designated names in official documents and communications.
Educational institutions, including those under the Department of Education (DepEd), Commission on Higher Education (CHED), and Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), are mandated to adopt the names in teaching materials, research, and publications.
Senate Committee on Foreign Relations chair Erwin Tulfo stated that the official naming of 131 features in the KIG strengthens the country's assertion of its sovereign rights in the WPS. He commended President Marcos Jr. for his decisive action, viewing it as an important step in reinforcing the country's sovereign rights.
Tulfo emphasized that this Executive Order is a demonstration of the Philippines' firm stand that the West Philippine Sea belongs to them. He also mentioned that the move supports efforts to develop the KIG and uplift residents while affirming Philippine jurisdiction through lawful and peaceful means.
The KIG falls under Philippine jurisdiction by virtue of Presidential Decree No. 1596, issued in 1978 by then-President Ferdinand Marcos Sr., which also established the Municipality of Kalayaan under the Province of Palawan. It is within the WPS, the western maritime areas of the Philippine archipelago, which includes parts of the South China Sea within the country's exclusive economic zone (EEZ), as defined under Republic Act No. 12064 or the Philippine Maritime Zones Act.
Pag-asa Island serves as the Kalayaan municipality's official seat of government and administrative center and is the largest island in the KIG. The move comes amid ongoing territorial disputes in the South China Sea, particularly with China, which claims virtually the entire body of water through historical claims invalidated by a 2016 arbitral ruling under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
The Philippines has consistently asserted its rights over the WPS, including sovereign rights to explore, exploit, conserve, and manage natural resources within its EEZ.
