President Marcos: Use Philippine names for more than 100 maritime features of Kalayaan Island Group

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has issued Executive Order No. 111, mandating the assignment of Philippine names to over 100 maritime features in the Kalayaan Island Group (KIG) in Palawan.

This initiative aims to reinforce governance, administration, and sovereignty within Palawan and the West Philippine Sea (WPS).

Signed on March 26, the order aligns with the Philippine Maritime Zones Act (Republic Act No. 12064) and follows recommendations from the National Maritime Council (NMC) to standardize names for 131 maritime features.

Under EO No. 57, the National Maritime Council (NMC) recommended adopting a standardized set of Philippine names for 131 maritime features located in the KIG within Kalayaan, Palawan, and the WPS.

The NMC emphasized the need for a uniform naming system to support effective governance and administration in the area, as well as to reinforce the Philippines’ assertion of sovereignty in the West Philippine Sea.

This uniform system is intended to support the country’s assertion of sovereignty in the region.

The key directives of the executive order include:

• Mapping: The National Mapping and Resource Information Authority (NAMRIA) will produce updated maps and nautical charts reflecting these names;

• Government communications: All government agencies and corporations are required to use the official names in all communications and documentation;

• Education: The Department of Education (DepEd), Commission on higher Education (CHED), Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), and state universities must adopt these standardized names in textbooks, research, and instructional materials.

-Paraluman News