Defense Secretary Gilberto C. Teodoro Jr. joined Cebu City officials on Monday in commemorating West Philippine Sea Victory Day, praising the city's "principled and dignified stand" in honoring the 10th anniversary of the 2016 South China Sea Arbitral Award.

Speaking at Cebu City Hall, Teodoro commended the City Council for declaring WPS Victory Day and for defending the country's maritime rights amid what he described as inappropriate foreign interference in local affairs.

He said the arbitral ruling, anchored on the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), remains the legal foundation of the Philippines' sovereign rights in the West Philippine Sea.

Teodoro stressed that protecting those rights requires a whole-of-nation approach through stronger defense capabilities, principled diplomacy, and greater public awareness of the country's maritime interests.

He also underscored the need to strengthen internal security and resilience against foreign influence to support the country's external defense efforts.

The defense chief reaffirmed the Department of National Defense's commitment to working with Cebu in protecting the Visayan Sea and preserving marine resources, saying the city's observance of WPS Victory Day sends "a powerful message of connection, convergence, and oneness" in defending the nation's maritime sovereignty.