MANILA — It’s been over a year since on Oct. 29, 2024 retired Supreme Court Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio presented a replica of the 1875 “Carta General del Archipielago Filipino” to the University of Asia and the Pacific. What began as an act of historical preservation has since evolved into a quiet yet meaningful pillar in the country’s ongoing maritime discourse.
Back then, Carpio explained how that Spanish-era map was more than an antique: it records every island in the Philippine archipelago, including territories ceded during the 1898 Treaty of Paris and later clarified under the 1900 Treaty of Washington. He argued that it holds legal and symbolic importance as part of the archival basis for the Philippines’ maritime claims, including those successfully argued before the UNCLOS arbitral tribunal. Over the following months, Carpio traveled around the country, donating replicas to schools, libraries, and government agencies, hoping to instill a deeper awareness of historical claims.
Fr. Cecilio L. Magsino, who reported the event, recounted how even historians and lawyers in the audience admitted to not previously knowing about the Treaty of Washington.
A year on, that moment seems less anecdotal and more strategic.
From History to Contemporary Assertion
The map advocacy was never meant just as a nostalgic exercise. Its purpose was always to ground the Philippines’ maritime claims in the language of history, lending moral weight and continuity to legal and diplomatic arguments.
That framing matters today — because in 2025, tensions in the West Philippine Sea remain acute. China, Vietnam, Malaysia, and Taiwan continue to contest parts of the Spratly archipelago, and confrontations at sea have grown more frequent and aggressive. In August, two Chinese ships collided amid chase maneuvers near Scarborough Shoal while targeting a Philippine coast guard vessel. Manila condemned the incident, demanding adherence to international maritime regulations. South China Morning Post
To strengthen its maritime presence, the Philippine Coast Guard recently deployed a new air asset — a Piper PA-31 Navajo aircraft tasked with maritime domain awareness over contested waters. Philstar The move complements other modernization efforts, including plans for 40 new fast patrol boats for the PCG.
Diplomatically, Manila has also asserted its narrative. In April 2025, Google Maps was updated to display the label “West Philippine Sea” over waters off Palawan, aligning with the Philippines’ formal naming under Republic Act 12064, the Philippine Maritime Zones Act. That change drew Beijing’s ire and triggered a public dispute over sovereignty and cartographic symbolism. Philstar
Moreover, the “transparency initiative” — Manila’s policy of publicizing confrontations at sea and possibly exposing China’s “grey zone” tactics — has gained traction as a strategic communication tool.
In other words: the map Carpio distributed is more than a relic. It is part of a broader ecosystem of historical, symbolic, legal, and strategic tools aimed at bolstering the Philippines’ stake in contested waters.
What the Past Teaches Us Now
Looking back, Carpio’s efforts mapped a quiet path toward reclaiming not just islands, but narratives. By urging that the Carta General of 1875 be present in educational institutions and government offices, he sought to embed historical consciousness into national identity — so that policy and diplomacy are not rudderless, but rooted.
Now, as incidents at sea escalate, and as the Philippines bolsters patrols, modernizes its fleet, refines maritime laws, and contests cartographic labels, Carpio’s message rings as both warning and encouragement: a people without grounded memory risk losing their moorings in times of turbulence.
“History defines our identity, and it gives direction to our lives,” Fr. Magsino said then. One year later, amid prevailing maritime pressure, that admonition feels more urgent than ever.