The Department of National Defense (DND) reaffirmed its commitment to enforce the 2016 arbitral award and protect the Philippines’ territorial integrity, describing the ruling’s 10th anniversary as a call to strengthen national unity and uphold international law.
Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. said the Philippines has become a convergence hub for like-minded nations supporting a rules-based international order and the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
He also vowed to continue strengthening the Armed Forces of the Philippines under the Comprehensive Archipelagic Defense Concept while increasing public awareness of the country’s rights in the West Philippine Sea.
Meanwhile, the Philippines and 13 partner countries issued a joint statement reaffirming that the arbitral award remains final and legally binding and rejecting China’s expansive maritime claims in the South China Sea.
China continues to reject the 2016 ruling despite growing international support for the Philippines’ maritime rights.
Source: PhilNews24 | July 12, 2026
