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Philippines moves South China Sea dispute into classroom teaching materials

A bill would require education agencies to base South China Sea lessons on the constitution, the Maritime Zones Act, UNCLOS, and a 2016 arbitral ruling rejecting China’s claims.

Reported · Written up by our desk · Trade & Tariffs

The Philippines is pushing its South China Sea dispute with Beijing into the education system, with lawmakers introducing legislation that would require the Department of Education and the Commission on Higher Education to develop standardized teaching materials on the contested waterway.

According to the bill text, the materials would need to be grounded in the Philippine constitution, the Maritime Zones Act, the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, and a 2016 arbitral ruling that found China’s expansive claims lacked a legal basis under international law.

House lawmakers said the goal is to counter misinformation and strengthen public knowledge of Manila’s maritime rights as young people face propaganda online, framing the plan as part of building awareness of a rules-based international order.

Beijing, in turn, continues to reject the ruling as illegal, null and void, and argues disputes should be handled through direct negotiations, the outlet noted.

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