Members of the “House Young Guns” bloc have introduced House Bill No. 10587, or the proposed “West Philippine Sea Education Act,” seeking to integrate maritime rights education into basic and higher education curricula to shield students from disinformation and foreign propaganda.
Filed by Deputy Speakers Francisco Paolo Ortega and Jefferson Khonghun, alongside Reps. Ziaur-Rahman “Zia” Alonto Adiong, Ramon Rodrigo “Rodge” Gutierrez and Ernesto Dionisio Jr., the measure mandates the Department of Education and the Commission on Higher Education to develop nonpartisan, evidence-based learning materials focused on the 1987 Constitution, the Philippine Maritime Zones Act, UNCLOS and the 2016 Arbitral Award.
“Filipino students must learn the facts, that we are advocating for a rules-based international order and that the West Philippine Sea is rightfully ours,” the House Young Guns said in a joint statement.
“Our young people are vulnerable to fake news and propaganda flooding social media. We have a duty to teach them the truth so they grow up armed with accurate, evidence-based knowledge of our sovereign rights and entitlements,” they added.
The group noted that the bill comes amid persistent regional tensions and domestic rhetoric favoring foreign claims over national sovereignty.
“It is very unfortunate that even some public officials are openly spreading the pro-China narrative and defending them while they water-cannon our men and the fisherfolk,” they said.
“Naniniwala kami na dapat lahat ng Pilipino, lalong lalo na ang mga halal ng bayan, ay hindi dapat maging traydor. Dapat tayo ay manindigan kung ano ang sa atin,” the group emphasized. “Para hindi lumaki na traydor sa bayan, dapat simulan natin ngayon sa ating mga paaralan ang pagtuturo ng katotohanan tungkol sa West Philippine Sea.”