The newly formed West Philippine Sea (WPS) Bloc, led by Akbayan Partylist, has filed its first set of legislative proposals to assert Philippine sovereignty and counter Chinese interference in local government partnerships.
The bloc filed three key measures: a resolution urging the DILG to investigate sister-city agreements with China; a bill declaring July 12 as “National West Philippine Sea Victory Day”; and another requiring WPS history and geography in schools.
Akbayan Rep. Chel Diokno emphasized the importance of teaching future generations about Philippine rights in the West Philippine Sea, saying education is key to defending sovereignty.
Rep. Perci Cendaña, a co-author, called on the DILG to rescind sister-city deals that pose national security risks, especially in light of recent incidents involving China’s treatment of Filipinos.
The WPS Bloc includes Reps. Diokno, Cendaña, Dadah Ismula, Kaka Bag-ao, Leila de Lima, and Krisel Lagman-Luistro. The group said it welcomes other legislators who are committed to defending Philippine territory.
Cendaña also warned that local partnerships with China could be used as soft power tools to influence Philippine political and economic decisions at the grassroots level. “These arrangements may appear harmless on paper, but they carry geopolitical consequences we cannot afford to ignore,” he said.
The bloc stressed that their efforts are part of a broader push to align domestic policy with international rulings, particularly the 2016 arbitral tribunal decision, which invalidated China’s sweeping claims over the South China Sea.
