Carpio: Education can help Phl win fight for WPS

Educating Filipinos about the history of the West Philippine Sea (WPS) could help the Philippines win the fight against China’s claims on the entire South China Sea, according to retired Supreme Court justice Antonio Carpio.

- GHIO ONG

In a lecture hosted by the National Historical Commission of the Philippines and the National Library of the Philippines last Friday, Carpio pointed out that the “total lack of knowledge of the Treaty of Paris and the history of the Treaty of Washington” could be the problem.

The 1898 Treaty of Paris and the 1900 Treaty of Washington were agreements where Spain formally turned over the Philippine archipelago to the United States, leading to the end of the 333-year colonial rule of Spain and ushering in the American occupation.

During his lecture, Carpio pointed out that the 1900 treaty included in the scope of the territory of the Philippine archipelago the areas outside the border lines set by the 1898 agreement, including Scarborough or Panatag Shoal and the Kalayaan Island Group (KIG).