Metro Manila, Philippines – President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has ordered the adoption of Filipino names for 131 maritime features in the Kalayaan Island Group, a move aimed at reinforcing the country’s sovereignty in the West Philippine Sea.
Marcos issued the directive through Executive Order No. 111 on March 26, providing a standard set of local names for features located in Kalayaan, Palawan, based on recommendations from the National Maritime Council.
The measure is intended to strengthen governance over the area and assert the Philippines’ sovereign rights amid ongoing tensions in the strategic waterway.
“The adoption of standard Philippine names is imperative to ensure efficient administration and to exercise sovereignty,” the council said.
The order comes as the government continues to push back against competing claims in the West Philippine Sea, a key maritime corridor rich in resources and critical to regional trade.
Under Republic Act No. 12064, or the Philippine Maritime Zones Act, the country’s western maritime areas — including Bajo de Masinloc and features in the Kalayaan Island Group — are collectively designated as the West Philippine Sea.
The order also directs the National Mapping and Resource Information Authority to update official maps and charts to reflect the standardized names.
All government agencies and state-run entities are required to use the new names in official communications. Schools and higher education institutions have also been directed to incorporate them in textbooks, research, and instructional materials.
Malacañang said the policy seeks to institutionalize Philippine nomenclature in the area, while strengthening the country’s legal and administrative presence in the West Philippine Sea.
