MANILA – Lawmakers have underscored the need for a fact-based and unified national position on the West Philippine Sea (WPS), warning that personal attacks and misinformation weaken public understanding of Philippine sovereignty at a time of heightened geopolitical tension.
Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo Lacson in a statement Sunday said resorting to “ad hominem” attacks against officials and lawmakers taking a pro-Philippine stance undermines discussion on national territory.
“The son also rises with his own ad hominem. Suggesting to use the PCG spokesman and some senators as cannon fodder if China declares war against the Philippines is uncalled for,” Lacson said, referring to remarks made by Rep. Paolo Henry Marcoleta, son of Senator Rodante Marcoleta.
“He should visit Pag-Asa Island in KIG and see for himself the functioning local government there."
Lacson said debates on the WPS should be anchored on facts, noting that Pag-asa Island is inhabited and hosts an operational local government unit, schools, and civilian facilities.
He reiterated that defending the WPS requires "sober, informed discussion grounded in law and conditions on the ground, not rhetoric that divides Filipinos".
Include in education curriculum
Meanwhile, Senate Committee on Foreign Relations Chairperson Senator Erwin Tulfo is supporting the passage of Senate Bill No. 1625, or the proposed West Philippine Sea (WPS) Education Act.
"Despite being a critical point of Philippine sovereignty, many Filipinos are seemingly in the dark about the West Philippine Sea. We must integrate this into our education system,” Tulfo said in a news release Sunday.
Tulfo said the bill seeks to institutionalize a structured and age-appropriate WPS curriculum in both basic and higher education, covering internationally recognized facts, Supreme Court decisions, and relevant Philippine laws, including the 2016 arbitral ruling.
The measure mandates the Department of Education and the Commission on Higher Education to integrate WPS education into their curricula, supported by standardized learning materials and teacher training in coordination with agencies such as NAMRIA, the National Security Council, and the Department of Foreign Affairs.
Meanwhile, Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri said the Philippines should not give up “even an inch” of the Kalayaan Island Group (KIG), a Philippine territory under domestic and international laws.
“Hindi tayo papayag na isuko ang Kalayaan Island Group dahil malinaw na bahagi ito ng teritoryo ng Pilipinas (We will not agree to give up the Kalayaan Island Group because it is clearly part of Philippine territory)," Zubiri said in a statement.
Zubiri said laws passed in the 19th Congress—the Philippine Maritime Zones Act and the Archipelagic Sea Lanes Act—further reinforce the country’s rights over the West Philippine Sea and the KIG.
He noted that Filipino communities live in the area, underscoring the government’s duty to defend it for present and future generations. (PNA)