West Philippine Sea (Google Maps)

Trabaho Party-list welcomed on Tuesday, April 15 Google Maps' move of increasing the label size for West Philippine Sea (WPS), which made it visible on the app sans high zoom levels.

“The size of the West Philippines Sea label matters as it speaks clearly of our ownership and rights–atin ang West Philippine Sea (The West Philippine Sea is ours)--and the international community can see that as well," party-list spokesperson laywer Mitchell-David Espiritu said in a statement.

The move was confirmed by Google. It said through a spokesperson: "The West Philippine Sea has always been labeled on Google Maps. We recently made this label easier to see at additional zoom levels."

Trabaho Party-list's remarks followed those of members of the Philippine legislature, who have also hailed the development.

Earlier this month, the pro-labor group also conveyed its support to the Philippine Coast Guard’s (PCG) deployment of an aircraft to challenge the presence of this Chinese research vessel within the WPS.

As an advocate for policies that create sustainable, long-term employment for Filipinos, Trabaho stated that by strengthening the nation’s rights in the WPS, the government can open up new industries that will employ thousands of skilled workers.

ALSO READ:

https://mb.com.ph/2025/4/15/tolentino-happy-with-google-map-s-recognition-of-west-philippine-sea-says-talampas-should-be-next

“The extraction of natural resources, including oil and gas reserves, and the development of fisheries [in the WPS], could significantly contribute to the nation’s economy while providing much-needed jobs,” added Espiritu.

“We must be proactive in preparing our workforce for the future, and so we really welcome this Google Map update,” Espiritu continued. 

“By asserting our sovereignty—it’s about ensuring that existing and future generations of Filipinos can benefit from the wealth and resources in our own waters," the lawyer concluded.