West Philippine Sea seen on Google Maps

West Philippine on Google Maps

[Updated April 15, 2025, 6:05 p.m.]

MANILA, Philippines — The western section of the country’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ) has been properly labeled as “West Philippine Sea” on Google Maps.

A quick inspection of Google Maps as of Monday, April 14, would indicate that the digital mapping navigation platform used the West Philippine Sea designation in parts of the South China Sea.

‘Truthful representation’

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) on Tuesday, April 15, hailed the “truthful representation.”

“As defenders of national sovereignty, the AFP sees this as a valuable contribution to truthful representation and public awareness,” AFP spokesperson Col. Francel Margareth Padilla said in a statement.

“The AFP remains resolute in performing our mandate to protect our territory and uphold national integrity,” she added.

‘Google it’

“To those who are looking for the West Philippine Sea repeatedly, Google it,” said Filipino economist Cielo Magno in a Facebook post on Monday in reaction to this development.

Since February, social media users have debated the designation of the West Philippine Sea on Google Maps.

This came after several pages claimed that the West Philippine Sea on the maps was only under a “Google map pin,” which any user could indicate.

Herman Tiu Laurel, president of the Asian Century Philippines Strategic Studies Institute, published a photo showing that the West Philippine Sea is registered under “business” in Google.

Sagip party-list Rep. Rodante Marcoleta said it was not wrong to refer to the western section of the country’s EEZ as the West Philippine Sea, but the term was not indicated on the world maps.

“[W]ell, internationally, it does not exist. Because if you see international maps, there is no West Philippine Sea,” Marcoleta said in a One News interview on Feb. 13.

Growing global recognition

However, Sen. Francis Toletino said the latest development meant that the West Philippine Sea is receiving a “growing global recognition” due to Filipino’s “collective efforts.”

“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,” Tolentino said in a statement.

“The world is taking notice because of our unity and collective efforts as a people. And this is despite the aggressive actions of China to drive away Philippine government ships and fishermen from our very own exclusive economic zone,” he continued.

‘Talampas ng Pilipinas’

Meanwhile, Tolentino expressed hopes that Google Maps will integrate the “Talampas ng Pilipinas” next.

To recall, Tolentino renamed to “Talampas ng Pilipinas” the former ‘Benham Rise’ under Section 8 of Philippine Maritime Zones Act.

Currently, the region still appears as Benham Rise on the app.

“This may change soon,” said Tolentino, noting that the map for the Talampas ng Pilipinas was officially received by the International Seabed Authority last March 27, 2025.

“This is our legacy for the next generation and beyond,” he said.

Aquino’s law

In 2012, then-President Benigno Aquino III signed an administrative order renaming South China Sea waters within the western section of the country’s EEZ as the West Philippine Sea in a bid to further assert Manila’s sovereign rights there amid Beijing’s continuous aggressions.

READ: It’s official: Aquino signs order on West Philippine Sea

Aquino also directed the National Mapping and Resource Information Authority to produce and publish charts and maps of the Philippines showing the West Philippine Sea.

READ: Tarriela slams Marcoleta over West Philippine Sea remarks

It was also Aquino who brought China before an international tribunal in 2013, a year after Manila’s tense standoff with Beijing over Panatag (Scarborough) Shoal, which China now has effective control of.

The 2016 arbitral award is in favor of Manila and has effectively invalidated Beijing’s assertion of sovereignty in almost the entire South China Sea, including most of the West Philippine Sea.