The utter difference in using either South China Sea (SCS) or West Philippine Sea (WPS) rests on the indisputable theory that there’s less of the Philippines in the former and more of China in the latter. After all, WPS is an ordinary reference to the eastern portion of the South China Sea on one end and a reference to the maritime areas on the western side of the Philippine archipelago on the other. It’s stripped of everything besides (i.e. sovereignty, maritime claim, etc.). Pursuant to Administrative Order No. 29, what constitutes WPS was officially adopted in 2012 albeit nothing in hitherto existing local maps confirms its existence, either.

Pagunuran, P. (2025, July 1). Unheld dialogue over WPS. Daily Tribune, p. A5.