West Philippine Sea education bill pushed

SEN. Erwin Tulfo on Sunday sought the immediate passage of the West Philippine Sea education bill amid claims of Chinese scholars that Batanes is part of China's territory.Tulfo sees the passage of Senate Bill 1625, or the proposed "West Philippine Sea Education Act," which he authored as one of the measures "to repel disinformation about the country's territory."SB 1625 mandates the Department of Education (DepEd) to train teachers and educators on WPS Education.Tulfo blasted the claims of sovereignty over Batanes by Chinese scholars during a June 30 symposium, labeling the northern Philippine province a "natural geographical extension" of Taiwan.He noted that the timing of the claims coincided with the 10th anniversary of the 2016 arbitral ruling, which invalidated China's expansive claim in the South China Sea that encroached on the Philippines' exclusive economic zone."Before, they claimed that the West Philippine Sea is theirs; now Batanes is also their territory? What's next? Palawan? Zambales? Cagayan?" Tulfo said."It is ironic that we encounter this claim, in time when we just celebrated a decade of the Philippines' victory at the 2016 Arbitral Ruling declaring that the West Philippine Sea is ours," he said.In the House of Representatives, a bill seeking to declare July 12 as West Philippine Sea (WPS) Victory Day gained traction."As fake news and disinformation about the WPS continue to spread, we must ensure that every Filipino, especially the youth, understands our rights and the significance of the Arbitral Ruling," Mamamayang Liberal Rep. Leila de Lima said in a statement on Sunday.De Lima said this was the reason for the continued push for the enactment of the bill to declare July 12 as National WPS Victory Day and the bill about the teaching of the WPS in schools."It is time for Congress to match the courage of our LGUs and pass measures that would keep our victory in the hearts and minds of every Filipino," Akbayan Rep. Dadah Kiram Ismula said in a statement on Saturday.The province of Palawan, Cebu City and Labrador town in Pangasinan have declared July 12 as WPS Victory Day. Baguio City has declared the date as WPS Awareness Day."Ten years have passed since we achieved a very big win at the Permanent Court of Arbitration, which strengthened our rights in the West Philippine Sea," Akbayan Rep. Jose Manuel Diokno said on Facebook on Friday.Diokno said it was "time to etch this victory into the minds and hearts of Filipinos by enacting" House Bills 1626 and 1625.While the first sought to declare July 12 as WPS Victory Day, the latter was about the teaching of WPS history and geography at primary and secondary levels in public and private schools."By educating our youth, we help ensure that the next generation will safeguard what is rightfully ours as a nation," Diokno had said in a statement.The National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea (NTF-WPS) on Sunday reaffirmed the government's commitment to defending its sovereignty and maritime entitlements in the contested waterway as it marked the 10th anniversary of the arbitral award.In a statement, NTF-WPS chairman Secretary Eduardo SL Oban Jr. said the ruling reiterated that the Philippines' claims are backed by international law, "not by power or coercion," and stressed that the award remains final and legally binding under Unclos."A decade later, the award continues to be recognized and cited in international jurisprudence, reinforcing the rule of law as the strongest foundation for the peaceful settlement of disputes among nations," Oban said in a statement.He paid tribute to uniformed personnel, public servants, fisherfolk, coastal communities, and other Filipinos who contribute to protecting the country's maritime interests, saying their service and resilience give the arbitral award meaning beyond its legal significance.Bernadette Tamayo, Reina Tolentinoand Kristina Maralit