The National Mapping and Resource Information Authority (NAMRIA) on Friday confirmed the Philippines is preparing to unveil a new official map that marks areas over which the country has sovereignty and sovereign rights, including the West Philippine Sea.
According to NAMRIA Administrator Peter Tiangco, the new map will strictly comply with Philippine law and international agreements, including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and the newly signed Philippine Maritime Zones Act.
He noted that while the new map is complete, NAMRIA awaits the final implementing rules and regulations (IRR) necessary for publication but is already prepared for immediate publication once authorization is granted.
“We already have the maps prepared. We are just waiting for the IRR to make modifications according to what’s needed,” Tiangco said.
The administrator emphasized that the Philippine map is anchored on legal foundations unlike controversial maps published by other nations, implicitly referring to China’s recent maps that have drawn international criticism.
He confirmed that the new map will show the West Philippine Sea with specific coordinates and designations, a move expected to reinforce the Philippines’ claims in contested waters.
According to Tiangco, discussions on updating the official map began as early as 2012. Since then, revisions have been made to align with international treaties, moving beyond the Treaty of Paris as the sole basis for territorial delineation.
