The Presidential Communications Office (PCO) commemorated the 10th anniversary of the 2016 Arbitral Tribunal decision on Sunday, July 12, reiterating the government’s firm stance that the historic ruling remains definitive and legally enforceable.
In its declaration, the PCO stressed that the Philippines bases its maritime assertions in the West Philippine Sea on historical facts and international law, rather than through armed force.
”Ngayong Araw sa Kasaysayan, ginugunita natin ang ika-10 anibersaryo ng 2016 South China Sea Arbitral Award, isang makasaysayang desisyon na naglinaw sa mga karapatan ng Pilipinas sa West Philippine Sea alinsunod sa pandaigdigang batas,” the PCO stated.
The agency emphasized the long-standing validity of the legal triumph under international maritime frameworks.
”Makalipas ang isang dekada, nananatiling ‘final and binding’ ang pasya ng Arbitral Tribunal alinsunod sa mga probisyon ng United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS),” the PCO added.
Emphasizing the ethical foundation of the nation’s strategy in handling the territorial row, the PCO noted:
”Hindi dahas o sandata ang ating pinanghawakan, kundi ang katotohanan.”
The statement mirrors the ongoing policy of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., who continuously champions the rule of law over military or economic dominance to ease frictions in the South China Sea.
Issued by the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague, the milestone 2016 ruling invalidated Beijing’s expansive “nine-dash line” claims and upheld Manila’s sovereign rights over its exclusive economic zone, though China continues to ignore the verdict.