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Jean Mangaluz - Philstar.com
May 1, 2025 | 4:59pm
A screenshot of Google Maps showing the West Philippine Sea label, taken on May 1, 2025.
Google Maps / Screenshot
MANILA, Philippines — The “West Philippine Sea” label is back on Google Maps, according to a spokesperson from the tech firm on Thursday, May 1.
The Philippine government initially welcomed Google’s use of the “West Philippine Sea” label, which carried significance amid China’s continued claims over the country’s territorial waters. However, users later noticed that the label had been removed from Google Maps.
A spokesperson from Google told Philstar.com that the label disappeared due to an error.
"The label was temporarily missing due to a technical issue — it's now back on Maps,” they said.
China has claimed most of the South China Sea for itself, despite the waters having multiple claimants, including the Philippines.
As a result, Manila designated the waters within its exclusive economic zone as the “West Philippine Sea,” while areas outside this zone remain labeled as the South China Sea.
In 2016, the Permanent Court of Arbitration reinforced the Philippines’ ownership over its territorial waters after China asserted that it has a historical claim over the waters.
Despite this, China has continuously been found to roam around the area, even clashing with Philippine patrolmen on multiple occasions.
China recently claimed the Sandy Cay for themselves, posting a photo of them supposedly reclaiming the reef.
When Philippine authorities went to Sandy Cay to verify this, they said no one was there.
