Philippines’ South China Sea education push blurs ‘teaching the truth’ lines

The push by several Philippine lawmakers is to counter what they say are efforts to support pro-Beijing positions over the maritime row

The Philippines is seeking to move its South China Sea row with Beijing into classrooms, a push that analysts say could shape how young Filipinos understand the country’s maritime claims while raising questions over potentially blurred lines between education and state narrative-building.

Congressmen in the House of Representatives introduced legislation on Thursday requiring the Department of Education and the Commission on Higher Education to develop standardised teaching materials on the disputed waterway, particularly regions Manila considers to be within its exclusive economic zone.

The bill would require educational materials to be based on the Philippine constitution, the Maritime Zones Act, the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (Unclos) and a 2016 arbitral ruling that found China’s expansive claims in the contested waters had no legal basis under international law.

The lawmakers argue the bill is aimed at countering misinformation and strengthening public knowledge of Manila’s maritime rights, even as Beijing continues to reject the ruling as “illegal, null and void” and says South China Sea disputes should be resolved through direct negotiations.

“Filipino students must learn the facts – that we are advocating for a rules-based international order,” the lawmakers said in a joint statement posted on the House of Representatives’ website.

“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.