TEAMMANILA WPS DEFEND SWEATER

The West Philippine Sea has sustained Filipino communities for generations. In recent decades, it has become a site of escalating tension due to expansive claims and aggressive actions by the Chinese government, including the harassment of Filipino fishermen and repeated incursions into Philippine waters. In 2016, an international arbitral ruling invalidated China’s sweeping claims, affirming the Philippines’ maritime rights, though the ruling continues to be ignored. Team Manila has long used design to engage with Philippine history and contemporary realities. The WPS DEFEND sweater reflects this ongoing work, turning geography and text into a quiet but firm reminder of sovereignty, memory, and resistance.