Stratbase: Arbitral win is a responsibility, not just a legacy

MANILA, Philippines — As the country marks the 10th anniversary of landmark arbitral ruling over the West Philippine Sea (WPS), think-tank Stratbase Institute on Friday said that aside from honoring the legacy, the award is considered a responsibility.

The Stratbase Institute organized a high-level forum to commemorate the anniversary, which brought together defense experts and diplomats, led by Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro and Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Chief of Staff Gen. Romeo Brawner.

“As we mark this tenth year, we honor a legal victory. But we also inherit its responsibility,” Stratbase Institute President Dindo Manhit said in a press release.

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READ: From lasers to water cannons: China’s aggression in West Philippine Sea

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On July 12, 2016, an arbitral tribunal ruled in favor of the Philippines’ sovereign rights over the West Philippine Sea under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (Unclos) and rejected China’s nine-dash-line claims to nearly the entire South China Sea, including the West Philippine Sea. Despite this, China continued to ignore the landmark decision with the Philippines experiencing aggressions from the former in the WPS.

“The Award gave the Philippines a strong legal foundation. It is collective resolve, credible deterrence, and a whole-of-society collaboration fit for a multipolar world that will decide whether this victory stays alive, stays relevant, and stays enforceable for the next ten years,” Manhit added.

With this, Manhit said that the government should strengthen the frontline agencies such as the AFP, and the Philippine Coast Guard. He added that ambassadors and international stakeholders “must continue translating diplomatic support into defense cooperation, maritime domain awareness, and joint capability-building.”

READ: A decade on, arbitral award remains central to PH sea strategy

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He then called on communities to play a role in reminding the country that upholding the legacy of the landmark ruling “is a matter of national conscience, not only national security.”

A recent survey by Octa Research found out that 66% of adult Filipinos strongly agreed with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. administration’s response to the territorial disputes between the Philippines and China. The survey involved 1,200 respondents, which also showed that the highest favorable response came from the National Capital Region (70%), followed by Balance Luzon (68%), Visayas (65%), and Mindanao (62%). /jpv

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