Gov’t launches West PH Sea transparency website
Metro Manila, Philippines - The government has officially launched the West Philippine Sea (WPS) Transparency Website, a platform to document and publicize incidents in contested waters as part of efforts to assert national sovereignty and strengthen international support.
Hosted by the Philippine Coast Guard’s WPS Transparency Group (WPSTG), the site features photos and videos from 2022 to 2025, alongside official statements from the National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea (NTF-WPS) and press releases available for public reference.
“Our transparency initiative when it was first launched, there are two main objectives that we have in mind. The first one is to provide the right information to the Filipino people. Second is for us to garner support through the international community. Without any doubt, the Philippine government cannot do this alone,” said Jay Tarriela, PCG spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea.
“The West Philippine Sea Transparency Group (WPSTG) is committed to supporting the NTF-WPS and the Philippine Government in safeguarding the country’s sovereign rights over the West Philippine Sea. Through its dedication to transparency, accountability, and open communication, WPSTG seeks to provide accurate, timely updates on matters related to territorial rights and maritime activity,” the website said in its ‘about’ page.
With a mission to keep the public well-informed on territorial, maritime, and geopolitical developments, WPSTG said it underscores the importance of these issues to national security, sovereignty, and economic interests.
By countering misinformation and fostering public understanding, it empowers meaningful civic engagement and encourages a united front in addressing challenges to the country’s maritime claims.
The website launch comes amid renewed tension in the region, with repeated Chinese harassment of Filipino fishermen and resupply missions within the country’s exclusive economic zone.
In a significant show of solidarity, Lithuanian Defense Minister Dovilė Šakalienė, during her official visit to Manila, praised the Philippines’ transparency initiative as a “gold standard” in confronting coercive tactics by Beijing.
“You showed to the whole world that China is gaslighting you, gaslighting your people,” Šakalienė said in an interview with NewsWatch Plus, likening China’s behavior in the West Philippine Sea to Russia’s hybrid warfare in Europe.
Malacañang welcomed Lithuania’s support and issued a sharp rebuke to local critics of the Marcos administration’s strategy.
“Masarap pong pakinggan na mula sa isang banyaga ay nakikita nila at nari-recognize nila ang mga ginagawa ng pangulo… Ang masakit pong pakinggan, kapwa natin Pilipino ang walang paninindigan,” said Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro, without pertaining to a specific person or group.
[Translation: We appreciate receiving support from foreigners and they acknowledge and recognize the efforts of our president… On the downside, we have fellow Filipinos who don’t take a stand at all.]
Šakalienė also warned of a growing “authoritarian axis” composed of China, Russia, North Korea, and Iran, stressing the need for stronger democratic cooperation.
“We are now basically a triangle of democratic regions… in dire need to stand together,” she said.
