West PH Sea arbitral award protects fishers, maritime rights – Legarda

MANILA, Philippines — As the nation commemorates on Sunday the 10th anniversary of the landmark 2016 arbitral award on the South China Sea, Sen. Loren Legarda stood firm on the Philippines’ commitment to defending its maritime rights through international law, diplomacy, and a rules-based international order.

The award, rendered on July 12, 2016, declared that there was no legal basis for China’s expansive maritime claims based on so-called historic rights and affirmed the Philippines’ sovereign rights and maritime entitlements within its Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).

The award was made by an arbitral court constituted by the Permanent Court of Arbitration under Annex VII of the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (Unclos).

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Landmark legal victory

“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 in a statement on Sunday.

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She stressed that the continuing situation in the West Philippine Sea has real consequences for ordinary Filipinos, especially communities whose lives depend on the sea.

“The story of the West Philippine Sea does not end at our shores. 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. Every time a Filipino fisherman is compelled to turn back from waters where generations have earned their livelihood, our nation loses more than fish. We lose livelihoods, opportunity, and a measure of our future,” Legarda said.

These realities reveal why the arbitral award remains relevant to Filipino lives, she pointed out.

Protecting the West Philippine Sea, she added, means safeguarding the livelihoods of Filipino fisherfolk, ensuring food security, conserving marine ecosystems, and securing the future of coastal communities.

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Legarda described the arbitral award as among the Philippines’ greatest legal and diplomatic victories, as it demonstrated that disputes among nations were better resolved through the rule of law rather than force or coercion.

According to her, the award stands as a final and legally binding determination between the Philippines and China on the matters it decided and continues to serve as a foundation for the Philippines’ efforts to strengthen maritime governance and uphold its rights under international law.

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“The significance of the arbitral award lies not only in what it declared in 2016, but in how the Philippines has built upon it through concrete action,” Legarda said.

Legarda was co-author and co-sponsor of the Philippine Maritime Zones Act (Republic Act No. 12064) and the Philippine Archipelagic Sea Lanes Act (RA No. 12065).

He said these landmark measures and the arbitral award translated the principles affirmed by Unclos, defining the country’s maritime zones and establishing archipelagic sea lanes consistent with international law.

Legal and historical foundation

Legarda underscored that the Philippines’ position in the West Philippine Sea rests on a firm legal and historical foundation.

“While the arbitral award clarified the Philippines’ maritime rights and entitlements under Unclos, these rights are reinforced by a long historical record. The 1734 Murillo Velarde Map, the Treaty of Paris of 1898, the Treaty of Washington of 1900, UNCLOS, and the 2016 Arbitral Award together demonstrate that the Philippines’ position is anchored not in rhetoric, but in law and historical fact,” she said.

She also called on Filipinos to remain united in protecting the country’s lawful rights.

“Our rights in the West Philippine Sea are neither negotiable nor subject to intimidation. We have a duty to protect what belongs to the Filipino people, consistent with our Constitution and international law,” she said.

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“Defending the West Philippine Sea means standing firmly for our lawful rights while remaining steadfast in our commitment to peace, dialogue, and diplomacy. The West Philippine Sea is ours, and it’s our responsibility to secure for the next generation,” she added. /atm

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