‘The South China Sea Award endures not because it was rendered in The Hague, but because the Republic chose, and continues to choose, to live by it.’
COLORS aloft The Philippine Coast Guard contingent aboard BRP Gabriela Silang joins the nationwide flag-raising ceremony marking the 10th anniversary of the 2016 South China Sea Arbitral Award while participating in RIMPAC 2026 in Hawaii.
PHOTOGRAPH courtesy of pcg
The 2016 South China Sea Arbitral Award continues to endure because the Philippines has consistently upheld and institutionalized its principles over the past decade, the Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) said Sunday as the country commemorated the ruling’s 10th anniversary.
Speaking during the Department of Foreign Affairs’ commemoration of the landmark decision, Solicitor General Darlene Marie Berberabe said the award remains a “living instrument” of national policy because it has been embedded in Philippine laws, institutions and governance.
“The South China Sea Award endures not because it was rendered in The Hague, but because the Republic chose, and continues to choose, to live by it,” Berberabe said.
She said the ruling affirmed the Philippines’ sovereign rights within its exclusive economic zone; protected the traditional fishing rights of Filipino fishermen in Bajo de Masinloc; and invalidated China’s sweeping claims based on its so-called nine-dash line.
According to the OSG, the Philippines has translated the ruling into concrete action through legislation, maritime governance measures, and the continued assertion of the country’s rights in the West Philippine Sea using peaceful and lawful means.
“We are not the ships; we are the legal spine. The Office exists so that every action the Republic takes at sea can be defended in every forum in which it may ever be tested,” Berberabe said.
She stressed that the arbitral award protects not only the country’s maritime entitlements but also the rules-based international order founded on freedom of navigation, regional stability, and the peaceful settlement of disputes.
“The award is paper until a Republic chooses to live by it,” she said.
Legarda hails victory
Marking the anniversary, Senator Loren Legarda described the arbitral ruling as one of the Philippines’ greatest legal and diplomatic victories, emphasizing that its significance extends beyond the courtroom to the daily lives of Filipino fisherfolk.
“For many, the arbitral award is remembered as a landmark legal victory. For our fisherfolk, it is about being able to fish safely, return home to their families, and earn an honest living from the waters that have sustained generations of Filipinos,” Legarda said.
She warned that tensions in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) continue to affect coastal communities, forcing many fishermen to shorten their trips, avoid traditional fishing grounds, and spend more on fuel by venturing farther offshore.
“When our fisherfolk return with fewer catches, families earn less, markets have less to sell, and every Filipino feels the impact through food prices and food security,” she said.
Legarda said the award remains relevant because it safeguards livelihoods, food security, and marine resources while reinforcing the principle that disputes between nations should be resolved through international law rather than force or coercion.
She also cited the enactment of the Philippine Maritime Zones Act and the Philippine Archipelagic Sea Lanes Act as concrete steps that translate the arbitral ruling and the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) into domestic law.
Japan backs arbitral ruling
Meanwhile, Japan reaffirmed its support for the 2016 arbitral ruling, stressing that the decision remains “final and legally binding” on both the Philippines and China under UNCLOS.
In a statement, Japanese Foreign Minister Motegi Toshimitsu reiterated that there was “no legal basis” for China’s expansive maritime claims in the South China Sea and that Beijing’s continued rejection of the ruling undermines the rule of law and the peaceful settlement of disputes under international law.
Japan also commended the Philippine government for consistently adhering to the arbitral award while expressing concern over continued unilateral attempts to change the status quo by force or coercion in the South China Sea, including actions that threaten freedom of navigation and regional stability.
Tokyo said it would continue to work with ASEAN member states, the United States, and the broader international community to uphold a free and open international order based on the rule of law.
PNP reaffirms support
The Philippine National Police (PNP) also reaffirmed its support for government-led initiatives promoting national unity, patriotism, and awareness of the country’s sovereign rights in the WPS.
PNP chief P/Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. said the police force would continue to support lawful and peaceful activities advancing the country’s national interest, in line with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s directive through Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla.
The statement came after the PNP joined Sunday’s National Peace Walk at the Quirino Grandstand in Manila, which commemorated the 10th anniversary of the landmark award.
Organized by the National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea with the theme “Walking in Unity, Celebrating a Decade of Victory,” the event gathered representatives of government agencies, the uniformed services, and various sectors in support of the country’s sovereignty in the WPS.
“While our primary duty remains maintaining the peace and order, we also stand with the Filipino people in upholding our national interest through lawful and peaceful means,” Nartatez said.
