WPS Roll Call Na: Marcos Makes 131 Philippine Sea Names Official

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has formally ordered government agencies to use Philippine names for 131 features in the Kalayaan Island Group, making the labels official inside the executive branch. The move came through Executive Order No. 111, which was signed on March 26 and made public on March 31.

Under the order, NAMRIA has been tasked to update official maps and nautical charts, while schools and state colleges are also being told to use the revised names in teaching materials. In short, hindi lang ito symbolic on paper — the government now wants the names reflected in maps, lessons, and state records.

The article noted that the order covers features whether or not they are physically occupied by the Philippines. Of the 131 listed, the country occupies only nine, while other features are held by China, Vietnam, Malaysia, and Taiwan. Some familiar examples in the list include Pag-asa Island, Ayungin Shoal, Recto Bank, and Panganiban Reef.

Rappler said the practical impact at sea will still be limited because naming alone will not change tensions or enforcement on the water. But internally, the order gives the Philippines a more standardized way to talk about its claims and sovereign rights in the West Philippine Sea — a narrative push that could matter in governance, diplomacy, and public education.

Source: Rappler