Diokno pushes for West Philippine Sea education to counter Chinese disinformation
Akbayan party-list representative-elect Jose Manuel “Chel” Diokno is calling for the inclusion of the West Philippine Sea in the national school curriculum to combat what he described as “widespread Chinese disinformation” regarding the country’s maritime entitlements.
Speaking during a press conference organized by the Atin Ito Coalition on Thursday, Diokno emphasized the need for proper education to strengthen Filipino identity and counter foreign narratives surrounding the disputed waters.
“Nakakabahala na may mga kababayan tayong nadadala ng Chinese disinformation,” Diokno said. “At mas nakakabahala na may mga kababayan tayo na sila mismo ang nagpapakalat ng Chinese disinformation. Kaya tingin ng Akbayan party-list ay malaking bagay iyong [mandatory] education.”
The human rights lawyer and long-time educator warned that Beijing’s information campaign had seeped into digital spaces and public discourse, creating confusion about the Philippines’ sovereign rights in the West Philippine Sea, which is part of the country’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ).
“Sovereignty is not just a legal concept. It is part of being Filipino,” Diokno said in Filipino. “That includes, of course, our collective duty to defend the West Philippine Sea and to fight the widespread Chinese disinformation that, as we all know, is spreading everywhere.”
Diokno said Akbayan will file a bill in the upcoming 20th Congress mandating the inclusion of West Philippine Sea education “across all levels of schooling.”
The move is part of broader efforts by the Atin Ito Coalition to assert Philippine sovereignty and mobilize civic engagement on the issue.
Diokno warned that disinformation poses a national security threat by weakening public resolve and distorting international understanding of the Philippines’ lawful position.
“We must not allow another generation of Filipinos to grow up confused by lies,” he said. “Education is our first line of defense.”
The West Philippine Sea issue has gained renewed urgency amid increased Chinese maritime activity and repeated reports of harassment of Filipino fishermen and resupply missions by Chinese coast guard and militia vessels.
China continues to assert sweeping claims over nearly the entire South China Sea, which overlap with the EEZs of several Southeast Asian nations, including the Philippines. Despite a 2016 ruling by the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague invalidating China’s nine-dash line claim, Beijing has refused to recognize the verdict.
In fact, on Thursday, the Department of Agriculture–Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (DA-BFAR) condemned the Chinese Coast Guard’s hostile actions against two Philippine marine scientific research vessels in the West Philippine Sea.
The civilian vessels, BRP Datu Sanday (MMOV 3002) and BRP Datu Pagbuaya (MMOV 3003), were on a routine mission with a Filipino scientific team to collect sand samples as part of a marine scientific research initiative in the vicinity of Pag-asa Cay 2 (Sandy Cay) in the West Philippine Sea.
At approximately 0913H, CCG vessel 21559 water cannoned and sideswiped the BRP Datu Sanday (MMOV 3002) twice, resulting in some damage to the latter’s port bow and smokestack, and putting at risk lives of its civilian personnel onboard. This incident marks the first time water cannons have been used against DA-BFAR research vessels in the area of the Pag-Asa Cays.
