The Philippine Coast Guard-West Philippine Sea Transparency Group, led by its Commander and PCG Spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea, ๐๐๐๐ซ ๐๐๐ฆ๐ข๐ซ๐๐ฅ ๐๐๐ฒ ๐๐๐ซ๐ซ๐ข๐๐ฅ๐, brought the West Philippine Sea closer to the classroom through the ๐๐๐ฌ๐ญ ๐๐ก๐ข๐ฅ๐ข๐ฉ๐ฉ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐ฒ๐ฆ๐ฉ๐จ๐ฌ๐ข๐ฎ๐ฆ ๐๐จ๐ซ ๐๐จ๐๐ข๐๐ฅ ๐๐ญ๐ฎ๐๐ข๐๐ฌ ๐๐๐๐๐ก๐๐ซ๐ฌ on October 3, 2026, in San Fernando City, Pampanga.
More than 400 ๐ญ๐๐๐๐ก๐๐ซ๐ฌ ๐ซ๐๐ฉ๐ซ๐๐ฌ๐๐ง๐ญ๐ข๐ง๐ 21 ๐๐๐ฉ๐๐ ๐๐ข๐ฏ๐ข๐ฌ๐ข๐จ๐ง๐ฌ ๐ข๐ง ๐๐๐ ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐๐๐ gathered to deepen their understanding of maritime transparency, international maritime law, and the Philippinesโ maritime rights and interests. The symposium opened with the screening of ๐ ๐จ๐จ๐ ๐๐๐ฅ๐ข๐ฏ๐๐ซ๐ฒ: ๐ ๐ซ๐๐ฌ๐ก ๐๐ซ๐จ๐ฆ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐๐ฌ๐ญ ๐๐ก๐ข๐ฅ๐ข๐ฉ๐ฉ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐๐, giving educators a closer look at the realities faced by Filipino fisherfolk and the vital connection between the West Philippine Sea, livelihood, food security, and the lives of our people.
The second part of the symposium featured an interactive workshop designed to translate knowledge into meaningful classroom learning, providing teachers with opportunities to discuss key maritime issues, exchange insights, and explore ways to effectively communicate complex West Philippine Sea concerns to their students. This was followed by ๐๐๐๐ซ ๐๐๐ฆ๐ข๐ซ๐๐ฅ ๐๐๐ซ๐ซ๐ข๐๐ฅ๐โ๐ฌ discussion on the ๐๐ก๐ข๐ฅ๐ข๐ฉ๐ฉ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐จ๐๐ฌ๐ญ ๐๐ฎ๐๐ซ๐โ๐ฌ ๐ญ๐ซ๐๐ง๐ฌ๐ฉ๐๐ซ๐๐ง๐๐ฒ ๐ข๐ง๐ข๐ญ๐ข๐๐ญ๐ข๐ฏ๐๐ฌ, emphasizing the importance of accurate information, responsible communication, and public awareness in understanding developments at sea.
The dialogue continued with an interactive question-and-answer session, followed by ๐ ๐จ๐ซ๐ฆ๐๐ซ ๐๐๐ง๐ข๐จ๐ซ ๐๐ฌ๐ฌ๐จ๐๐ข๐๐ญ๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ญ๐ข๐๐ ๐๐ง๐ญ๐จ๐ง๐ข๐จ ๐. ๐๐๐ซ๐ฉ๐ข๐จ, who discussed the ๐๐ก๐ข๐ฅ๐ข๐ฉ๐ฉ๐ข๐ง๐๐ฌโ ๐ญ๐๐ซ๐ซ๐ข๐ญ๐จ๐ซ๐ข๐๐ฅ ๐๐ง๐ ๐ฆ๐๐ซ๐ข๐ญ๐ข๐ฆ๐ ๐๐ฅ๐๐ข๐ฆ๐ฌ ๐ข๐ง ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐๐ฌ๐ญ ๐๐ก๐ข๐ฅ๐ข๐ฉ๐ฉ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐๐. ๐๐ญ๐ญ๐ฒ. ๐๐ข๐๐ฅ ๐๐ข๐ฆ๐จ๐ง ๐. ๐๐ข๐ฅ๐ฏ๐ then provided an overview of the ๐๐ง๐ข๐ญ๐๐ ๐๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง๐ฌ ๐๐จ๐ง๐ฏ๐๐ง๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐จ๐ง ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐๐ฐ ๐จ๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐๐ and its relevance to the countryโs maritime rights, responsibilities, and interests, helping teachers connect international maritime law with contemporary issues affecting the Philippines.
More than an academic gathering, the symposium was an investment in the next generation of Filipinos. By equipping educators with facts, context, and a deeper understanding of the West Philippine Sea, the PCG-WPSTG helps ensure that knowledge does not remain within the walls of the convention center it reaches classrooms, communities, and young Filipinos who will inherit the responsibility of understanding and protecting our maritime nation.
From the stories of our fisherfolk to the principles of international maritime law, every lesson shared becomes a bridge between knowledge and national consciousness, helping shape a generation of Filipinos who understand, value, and care for our seas.
