Google support Philippines’ petition over disputed Islands. Google Maps, desktop web mapping service developed by Google show support and removed the Chinese name of Scarborough Shoal from the Google Map.
The Chinese name removal from Google map, apparently have made the change this week after the petition was launched by Filipinos on Change.org on Sunday.
“We’ve updated Google Maps to fix the issue. We understand that geographic names can raise deep emotions which is why we worked quickly once this was brought to our attention,” Google’s office in Manila said.
The Philippine government supported an online petition for Google company, by the Non-government Organization Change.org to to remove a Chinese name from a disputed shoal in the South China Sea on its site.
The petition posted on the campaign website hauled almost 2k supporters.
“This is the power of people coming together for a common cause,” Christine Roque, Founder/Senior Campaigner of Change.org Philippines said.
The Scarborough Shoal, international name, Philippines local name called Panatag Shoal or Bajo de Masinloc.
The disputed island in the West Philippine Sea lies 220 kilometres off the main Philippine island of Luzon and 650 kilometres from Hainan island, the nearest major Chinese land mass.
China has controlled the shoal since 2012 causing a brief standoff with the Philippines, according to report.
The petition read, “China’s sweeping claim of the South China Sea under their nine-dash line purportedly historical boundary is illegal and is creating tension among nations.”
United Nations-backed tribunal at The Hague, started hearing a Philippine petition to declare China’s illegal maritime claims in the West Philippine Sea that overlaps the Philippines territory.
Filipino officials ended the arguments Monday to convince the panel it had jurisdiction over the case, said Abigail Valte, presidential spokesperson.
“We are doing this as a peaceful means to resolve the dispute. We can’t fight China economically, militarily and even politically. T
his is the way to do it,” Justice Secretary Leila de Lima said on Tuesday. The Philippines was “confident” the tribunal would assume jurisdiction.
“Best way to flag concerns with Google Maps,” is to reach out to the search engine directly, Google Philippines said. Image / Google
