Palace firm in adopting West Philippine Sea

MANILA –- Malacañang said Monday the Philippines will continue to adopt the name “West Philippine Sea” to refer to the South China sea with no intention to inflame the issue of territorial dispute with China.

“We are taking the cue from the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) and they have consistently use West Philippines Sea to refer to South China Sea,” Presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said.

He added even other government agencies like Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) is also adopting the name West Philippine Sea. “We have also been using West Philippine Sea during security cluster meeting.”

The Palace official said other nations have been calling South China Sea “in their own term as well” like Vietnam, which refer South China Sea, as East Sea.

Lacierda downplayed that the use of the term West Philippine Sea could aggravate tensions with China in connection with the Spratly Islands Group.

Malacañang has stopped using South China Sea in its public statements in the wake of the reported series of Chinese incursions into Kalayaan Group of Islands, a part of Spratlys claimed by the Philippines. (Jill Beltran/Sunnex)