Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo has signed a National Maritime Council (NMC) initiative recommending the adoption of Philippine names for 131 unnamed features in the West Philippine Sea, particularly in the Kalayaan Island Group (KIG) within the Spratlys.
This move, one of Manalo’s final acts as DFA chief, aims to standardize naming practices as part of the country’s assertion of sovereignty.
The features to be named are expected to include sandbars, reefs, and similar maritime formations.
A similar initiative began in 2020 when the municipality of Kalayaan in Palawan named six nearby features to strengthen the Philippines’ territorial claim amid ongoing tensions with China.
The NMC, created in 2024 by President Marcos through Executive Order No. 57, is chaired by Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin and includes top-level officials from defense, foreign affairs, and national security agencies.
Source: PhilNews24 | June 28, 2025
DFA BACKS NAMING OF 131 SPRATLY FEATURES WITH FILIPINO NAMES
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