The Philippines on Friday strongly reaffirmed that its landmark 2016 arbitral victory over China’s sweeping South China Sea claims is permanent and beyond compromise, marking a decade since the historic legal decision.
Speaking at a Department of Foreign Affairs event in Pasay City, Foreign Secretary Theresa Lazaro described the tribunal’s ruling as “final and legally binding.”
“It stands as a landmark triumph of peaceful dispute settlement,” Lazaro told a gathering of diplomats and government officials.
Firmly dismissing any possibilities of diplomatic backsliding, the Foreign Secretary stressed the enduring legal weight of the decision.
“It is not a mere statement of policy. It is not subject to negotiation or compromise. It is an unshakable, permanent anchor of our rules-based international order,” she added.
Although Beijing continues to reject the tribunal’s authority—frequently using water cannons and aggressive maneuvers against Filipino ships—the strategic waterway remains a heavily contested zone, with Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei, and Taiwan also holding overlapping claims to its resource-rich waters.
Lazaro likened the 2016 ruling to a vital tool for global maritime stability.
“A lighthouse does not block the winds. It does not command the tides. It stands immovable upon bedrock, casting a steady, piercing beam to warn of hazards and guide all ships to safe harbor,” she explained.
Looking ahead, Lazaro noted that Manila aims to fortify its global alliances and push for a binding regional code of conduct.
She concluded by calling for international solidarity to maintain the ruling as a cornerstone of global maritime law.
“It is a quiet, powerful affirmation that this commemoration will be a space to give this lighthouse burning bright, for its light is our commitment, its clarity is our peace, and its enduring promise is a stable, rules-based world for generations to come,” she said.