SENATOR Jinggoy Estrada has filed a measure seeking to integrate the study of the West Philippine Sea (WPS) into the curricula of all public and private basic educational institutions nationwide.

Estrada’s Senate Bill No. 1424, or the proposed West Philippine Sea Mandatory Education Act, aims to instill patriotism, strengthen national consciousness, and deepen young Filipinos’ understanding of the country’s sovereign rights and jurisdiction over the WPS.

In his explanatory note, Estrada cited the Department of Education’s recent initiative to include lessons on the WPS in Grades 4, 6, and 10 curricula — a move he described as “laudable.”

The bill seeks to expand and institutionalize this effort through legislation, ensuring that the study of the WPS becomes a permanent component of basic education.

“This is especially crucial at a time when disinformation and false narratives are being propagated to distort the truth enshrined in the 2016 Arbitral Award,” Estrada said, referring to the landmark ruling of the Permanent Court of Arbitration, which invalidated China’s sweeping nine-dash line claims and upheld the Philippines’ sovereign rights over its exclusive economic zone.

Under the proposed measure, students will learn about the legal, historical, and environmental significance of the WPS.

The bill also mandates the DepEd to work with the National Historical Commission of the Philippines, Department of Foreign Affairs, and other relevant agencies in developing age-appropriate materials, textbooks, and teaching modules.

Schools will likewise be required to maintain copies of official documents, maps, and resource materials related to the WPS.

Funding for the measure’s initial implementation will come from the existing budget of the DepEd, with subsequent appropriations to be included in future national budgets.

Estrada emphasized that the bill’s ultimate goal is to empower Filipino youth with knowledge and appreciation essential to defending and protecting what is rightfully ours.