A GROUP of House lawmakers has filed a measure seeking to institutionalize the teaching of the West Philippine Sea in schools to strengthen public awareness of the country’s maritime rights.

House Bill No. 10587, or the proposed West Philippine Sea Education Act, was authored by Deputy Speakers Francisco Paolo Ortega and Jefferson Khonghun, along with Representatives Ziaur-Rahman “Zia” Alonto Adiong, Ramon Rodrigo “Rodge” Gutierrez, and Ernesto Dionisio Jr.

The bill mandates the integration of age-appropriate lessons on the West Philippine Sea into the curricula of basic and higher education through a comprehensive education and awareness program.

The lawmakers said the measure aims to help Filipino students understand the country’s sovereign rights under the 1987 Constitution, the Philippine Maritime Zones Act, the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), and the 2016 South China Sea Arbitral Award.

In a joint statement, the House Young Guns said young Filipinos must be equipped with accurate and evidence-based knowledge, particularly amid the spread of misinformation and propaganda on social media.

The proposed measure also directs the Department of Education (DepEd) and the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) to develop standardized learning materials in coordination with agencies such as the National Mapping and Resource Information Authority (NAMRIA), Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), National Security Council (NSC), National Maritime Council (NMC), and Philippine Coast Guard (PCG).

Aside from classroom instruction, HB 10587 provides for teacher training, nationwide public awareness campaigns, and research on maritime security, marine biodiversity, Philippine maritime claims, and the welfare of coastal communities.

The bill emphasizes that all educational content must remain nonpartisan and evidence-based, and anchored on internationally recognized facts, official government maps and policies, and the principle of peaceful dispute settlement.