The West Philippine Sea (WPS) has always been recognized on Google Maps, but was only made easier for the public to see based on the latest version of the app.
This was Google’s explanation after its enhanced WPS label on the popular navigational app made headlines in the Philippines recently.
“The West Philippine Sea has always been labeled on Google Maps. We recently made this label easier to see at zoom levels,” the search engine company said in a statement.
A recent Google Maps search of the Panatag or Scarborough Shoal, a maritime feature within the 200-nautical miles exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of the Philippines and was the site of the 2012 standoff between the navies of both countries, showed it is within a body of water labeled “West Philippine Sea.”
The Philippine military and other high-ranking government officials have since lauded the recognition. China, expectedly, is not happy.
“For the Armed Forces of the Philippines, as defenders of our national sovereignty, we see this as a valuable contribution to truthful representation, and of course public awareness,” said AFP spokesperson Colonel Francel Margareth Padilla on Tuesday.
In his own press conference, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian reiterated that “South China Sea” has long been recognized by the international community.
Beijing’s expansive claims on the regional waters, however, were ruled illegal and without basis, according to the 2016 arbitral ruling based on the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), which China refused to acknowledge.
WPS refers to waters within the country’s EEZ on its western side and extending up to 200 nautical miles.
It was officially named as such during the term of then President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III in 2012, who took legal actions versus China due to its bullying behavior in the international waters that affected the livelihood of Filipino fishermen.
Aquino issued Administrative Order No. 29 signed on Sept. 5, 2012, which declared: “The maritime areas on the western side of the Philippines are hereby named the West Philippine Sea. These areas include the Luzon Sea as well as waters around, within and adjacent to the Kalayaan Island Group and Bajo de Masinloc, also known as Scarborough Shoal.”
