THE DEPARTMENT of Education, Commission on Higher Education, and Technical Education and Skills Development Authority should review and update the world maps used in schools and learning materials following the United Nations General Assembly’s endorsement of more accurate equal-area map projections, Senior Citizen Party-list Rep. Rodolfo Ordanes said.

The UN General Assembly recently adopted the “Correct the Map” resolution by a vote of 164 in favor, one against, and six abstentions. The resolution encourages the use of the Equal Earth projection and other equal-area maps that more accurately represent the relative sizes of continents and countries.

The resolution does not alter international boundaries, territorial claims, or sovereignty. Rather, it addresses how the three-dimensional Earth is represented on a two-dimensional map.

“Sa Equal Earth projection, ginawang proportional ang size ng Pilipinas at iba pang mga bansang malapit sa equator kumpara sa mga lupain sa matataas na latitude. Nababawasan din ang labis na pagpapalaki sa mga lugar na malapit sa North at South Poles na makikita sa Mercator projection,” Ordanes said.

“Dapat nang i-review ng DepEd, CHED, at TESDA ang mga world map na ginagamit sa classrooms, textbooks, modules, at digital learning materials. Mahalaga ring maipaunawa sa mga estudyante kung bakit magkakaiba ang itsura ng mundo depende sa map projection na ginagamit,” Ordanes added.

The Mercator projection, developed in 1569 primarily for maritime navigation, preserves directions and angles well but significantly distorts the relative sizes of landmasses, particularly those farther from the equator. The Equal Earth projection, developed in 2018, was designed to represent the relative areas of landmasses more accurately.

Ordanes said the Department of Foreign Affairs and Department of Migrant Workers  should likewise help inform Filipinos overseas about the UN initiative, particularly through Philippine schools and learning programs abroad.