No South China Sea? Calls grow for Philippines to include maritime history in curriculum

Carpio on Tuesday warned in an ABS-CBN interview that a lack of historical knowledge on treaties signed by former colonial rulers of the Philippines could be a problem, arguing that it “should be included in the new curriculum”.

He also questioned the origin of the South China Sea name, insisting the Chinese previously only called it the “South Sea” in colonial times and “the Portuguese called it the South China Sea to distinguish it from the East China Sea”.

Congresswoman Margarita Nograles, the representative of Puwersa ng Bayaning Atleta (PBA) on Sunday recommended that Angara include in the curriculum Manila’s claim to the West Philippine Sea, its name for a part of the South China Sea within its exclusive economic zone.

“Educating our youth about the significant issues surrounding our territorial claims in the West Philippine Sea is crucial for fostering a well-informed citizenry and cultivating a sense of national pride and responsibility,” she said.

Filipino students must be taught comprehensively about the 2016 arbitral ruling, according to Nograles.

“Our young Filipinos should be aware of the legal and historical context of our territorial claims to better appreciate the efforts of our government and diplomats in defending our sovereignty,” Nograles said.

Marcos Jnr made a similar call when he appointed Angara.

“The one thing I asked of him was to please teach our children Philippine history. Because I have seen my children’s workbooks and there’s very little said about the history of the Philippines. And for me, that is so important,” Marcos Jnr said.

Since last year, the education department has revised the curriculum to include lessons on the West Philippine Sea and the 2016 ruling.

Under a draft by the department,