Senator Erwin Tulfo on Sunday announced that he filed Senate Bill No. 1625, titled the West Philippine Sea Education Act, seeking mandatory instruction on maritime rights in Philippine schools.
The proposed measure directs the Department of Education and the Commission on Higher Education to integrate West Philippine Sea topics into basic and higher education curricula nationwide.
“We have to stand as a unified nation in defending what is ours. A good way to do it is to capacitate Filipinos with accurate, evidence-based information,” said Tulfo.
“This will empower Filipino citizens to actively participate in the protection of our maritime rights,” the neophyte senator added.
He filed the bill as a response to a recent water cannon incident at Escoda Shoal that reportedly injured Filipino fisherfolk operating in contested waters.
“We cannot be idle while our fellowmen guarding the WPS, especially our fisherfolk, continue to be hurt. We have to be informed about our rights and the policies that must be complied with. What’s ours is ours,” Tulfo asserted.
Under the proposal, a comprehensive education and awareness program would be institutionalized across public and private educational institutions.
The measure mandates the development of standardized and regularly updated learning materials on historical, legal, and geopolitical aspects of the West Philippine Sea.
It also requires close coordination among education agencies and key government offices involved in mapping, security, and foreign policy.
These include the National Mapping and Resource Information Authority, the National Security Council, and the Department of Foreign Affairs, among others.
The bill further calls for capacity building programs to equip teachers with the knowledge and tools needed to effectively teach maritime issues.
Schools would also be encouraged to use accessible digital and printed learning resources for both classroom and community-based education.
Beyond formal schooling, the proposal seeks to launch a nationwide public information campaign on Philippine maritime rights.
Research initiatives would also be supported to deepen public discourse and academic study related to the West Philippine Sea.
“Despite the West Philippine Sea being a critical area, there remains limited public awareness and understanding of the WPS. This has to stop. We have legal rights over it and we have to ramp up our efforts so every Filipino will be able to defend our rights over the WPS,” Tulfo said.
