Ph Coastguard spox leads Parnuay session on West Ph Sea transparency
By Chessa Pae Faustino
Highlighting the importance of transparency, the Day 3 Aglayag plenary session of PARNUAY: The 3rd Creativity in Philippine Higher Education Summit on December 18 shed light on combating misinformation and raising national awareness of the Philippines’ maritime sovereignty in the West Philippine Sea, featuring Commodore Jay Trista Tarriela, Spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea of the Philippine Coast Guard.
Opening with an interactive question-and-answer segment, Cdre. Tarriela engaged delegates on their knowledge of the West Philippine Sea, clarifying its geographical scope from the western Batanes coast down to Palawan, including the Luzon Sea, Bajo de Masinloc, and the Kalayaan Island Group. He distinguished the West Philippine Sea from the South China Sea, noting that the latter is an international term predating Philippine sovereignty and encompassing even the disputed areas with neighboring countries.
Cdre. Tarriela stressed that the West Philippine Sea is not disputed, highlighting the need for Filipinos, particularly the youth, to be informed and not fall victim to misinformation. He explained that selective reporting of maritime incidents has been a primary source of misinformation, which led to the creation of the West Philippine Sea Transparency Initiative under President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s administration.
Launched in February 2023, the initiative aims to keep the public informed, strengthen international awareness, and mobilize support for Philippine maritime rights. Since its launch, 94% of Filipinos reportedly support the initiative, recognizing its role in fostering patriotism and ensuring government accountability.
Cdre. Tarriela noted that through this, transparency not only raised public awareness but also facilitated the acquisition of assets and strengthened international solidarity. Notably, the G7 nations, the G7 nations, representing the world’s seven largest advanced economies, now regularly raise concerns about regional security violations in the West Philippine Sea.
Despite these efforts, Cdre. Tarriela warned that misinformation remains a serious threat, dividing the nation and obscuring the real issues at stake. “Our fight is intergenerational. It’s the responsibility of every Filipino to uphold the rights secured by our war heroes,” he expressed.
CHED Chairperson Shirley Agrupis lauded the commodore and encouraged higher education institutions to leverage creative industries in spreading accurate information about the West Philippine Sea. “Imagine the impact if every student, every Filipino, uses their platforms on social media to share our fight,” she said.
She highlighted the importance of separating political disputes from educational collaboration, noting ongoing partnerships with Chinese universities and the planned establishment of a youth boot camp with the National Youth Commission, supported by the Philippine Coast Guard.
Following Cdre. Tarriela’s presentation, Police Colonel Frederick Obar of the Philippine National Police, represented by Captain Ramquin Alviar, Deputy and Company Commander of the Ilocos Norte PPO, discussed the distinctions among 'misinformation,' 'malinformation,' and 'disinformation,' and highlighted the PNP’s efforts to counter fake news through mechanisms such as the Joint Anti-Fake News Action Committee (JAFNAC) and the PNP Anti-Cybercrime Group (PNP-ACG).
The Day 3 Aglayag session ended with an open forum that further enriched the critical role of transparency, education, and creative communications in safeguarding Philippine maritime sovereignty while equipping citizens to discern and counter disinformation in the digital age.
Dec, 19, 2025 10:01:am
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