For several years now, the West Philippine Sea could not be located in Google Maps, which would show only a very limited area of the WPS close to Luzon when the term is searched.
Now, not only has Google Maps plotted the WPS, it also showed the stretch of the area up to the Spratly Islands or the Kalayaan Group of Islands.
“For anyone wondering if you can search for the West Philippine Sea on Google,” Philippine Coast Guard spokesperson for WPS Commodore Jay Tarriela said, posting a screenshot of the Google Maps result showing the WPS on his social media accounts.
The name South China Sea remains visible to the north and west of the area now identified as the West Philippine Sea.
Beijing claims the South China Sea almost in its entirety despite an international ruling that its assertion has no merit.
The Armed Forces of the Philippines welcomed the inclusion of the WPS on Google Maps.
AFP spokesperson Col. Francel Margareth Padilla said this “affirms international recognition of the country’s sovereign rights” as upheld by the 2016 Arbitral Ruling under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
“As defenders of national sovereignty, the AFP sees this as a valuable contribution to truthful representation and public awareness,” she said.
Padilla added the military remains resolute in performing its mandate in protecting the territory and upholding its national integrity.
WPS refers to waters within the country’s exclusive economic zone on its western side and extending up to 200 nautical miles.
The WPS was officially named as such during the term of then President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III in 2012.
This was done through Administrative Order No. 29 signed on Sept. 5, 2012 which declares: “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.”
Senate Majority Leader Francis Tolentino described the development as a “growing global recognition” that the area is part of Philippine jurisdiction.
“Growing global recognition for WPS represents a victory for all Filipinos. It is also an affirmation of the correctness of the Philippines’ current policy to assert its sovereign rights in line with international law and multilateralism,” said Tolentino.
The senator, principal author of the landmark Philippine Maritime Zones Law, also expressed hope that Google Maps would replace “Benham Rise” with “Talampas ng Pilipinas.”
He said the map for the Talampas ng Pilipinas was officially received by the International Seabed Authority in March.
Editor’s Note: This is an updated article. Originally posted with the headline “West Philippine Sea now on Google Maps.”