Starting Tuesday, Google will no longer use the Chinese names a shoal whose ownership is being contested by both China and the Philippines. The Internet search engine made the decision after the Philippines' protest. 

ABS-CBN News reported that Google Maps will now refer to the shoal by its international name, Scarborough Shoal. Filipinos know the area as Bajo de Masinloc and Panatag Shoal. The Filipinos have also started referring to the South China Sea as the West Philippine Sea.

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Google office in the Philippines announced on Tuesday that it had updated the search engine to refer to the disputed territory by its international name. The statement added that Google took immediate actions to rectify the error because it is aware that such issues can affect people deeply.

A group on Change.org spearheaded a campaign to persuade the search engine giant to use the international name instead of the Chinese names of Zhongsha Islands and Sansha.

The online group claimed that Google's use of the Chinese names to refer to the shoal gives credibility to China's claim.

The shoal is more than 650 kilometers from China and around 200 kilometers away from the Philippines. China, however, have stationed ships and troops in the islets for more than two years now, according to Rappler.

In the early parts of 2015, Philippine fishermen venturing in the disputed shoal have reported that Chinese troops took their catch while pointing guns at them.

Yahoo News reported that the International Court of Arbitration has proceeded to hear the petition submitted by the Philippines regarding the ownership and control of the disputed territories in the South China Sea.

China uses the nine-dash line as a basis to claim ownership of the islands and waters in the South China Sea.

Abigail Valte, a spokesperson from the Philippines' Office of the President, announced that the Philippine legal delegation to the Hague has already presented its case to the international arbitrary judges on Monday, July 13.

Philippines' Secretary of Justice Leila de Lima believes that the Hague tribunal's decision will be favorable. She also said that the peaceful resolution is the best way to settle the territory dispute between the Philippines and China.

Tagsspratlys, Scarborough Shoal, west philippine sea, bajo de masinloc shoal, Panatag Shoal, Google Maps, Zhongsha islands, sansha, hague international arbitrary court