A standardized set of Philippine names will be adopted for 131 maritime features in the Kalayaan Island Group (KIG) to strengthen governance and reinforce the country’s sovereign rights in the West Philippine Sea.

Under Executive Order No. 111 signed on March 26, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. ordered the adoption of names for features located in the Municipality of Kalayaan, Palawan, and the West Philippine Sea, upon the recommendation of the National Maritime Council (NMC).

The NMC said standardizing the names is necessary to ensure effective administration and governance of the area and to support the country’s exercise of sovereignty.

“[I]t is imperative to adopt a standard set of Philippine names for the maritime features in the KIG for the efficient administration and governance of the area, and the exercise of the country’s sovereignty in the WPS,” the order stated. 

The issuance is anchored on existing laws and policies, including Republic Act No. 12064 or the Philippine Maritime Zones Act, which designates maritime zones on the western side of the Philippine archipelago—including the Luzon Sea, the territorial seas of Bajo de Masinloc, and the features of the KIG—as the West Philippine Sea.

The order also directs the National Mapping and Resource Information Authority to produce and publish updated charts and maps reflecting the official names. 

All national government agencies, including government-owned or -controlled corporations and government financial institutions, are required to use the designated names in official communications, messages, and documents, the order provides. 

Educational institutions are likewise directed to adopt the names in teaching and research materials.

The Department of Education, Commission on Higher Education, Technical Education and Skills Development Authority, as well as state universities and colleges, are mandated to ensure the use of the standard names in textbooks, publications, and instructional materials. 

The executive order took effect immediately upon publication.

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