MANILA, Philippines — The Department of National Defense marked yesterday the 10th anniversary of the arbitral ruling as it affirmed its commitment in honoring the legal triumph of the country in upholding maritime rights in the West Philippine Sea.
“The DND recognized the collaborative and patriotic efforts of Filipinos, from fisherfolk to public servants, in upholding and defending the sovereign rights of the country in the West Philippines Sea (WPS) through the rule of law,” the defense department said.
The activity was attended by defense officials, employees and its bureaus.
The Arbitral Award, issued on July 12, 2016, is a legal and binding decision under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, underscoring that China’s expansive “nine-dash line” has no legal basis under international law.
Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. condemned the Chinese embassy in Manila’s rejection of the 2016 arbitral ruling as he accused the embassy of “insincerity” and “duplicity.”
He slammed the embassy’s “arrogant display of deceitful indignation” and response to the Philippines’ firm position on the arbitral award.
Strengthen AFP
A decade after the Philippines secured a landmark legal victory against China in an international arbitration case, a policy think tank is urging the government to accelerate the modernization of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) so it could better respond to the evolving threats in the WPS.
The Stratbase Institute issued the call ahead of a high-level gathering on July 10 marking the 10th anniversary of the 2016 Arbitral Award, which invalidated Beijing’s sweeping claims in the South China Sea.
The forum will examine how the Philippines can build on its landmark legal victory by strengthening credible deterrence and enhancing national security amid growing geopolitical challenges.
The discussions will be anchored on the Stratbase Institute’s June 2026 SPARK publication, “10 Years After the Arbitral Award: From Legal Triumph to Credible Deterrence Through Multidomain Modernization,” which argues that the Philippines must translate its legal victory into strategic capability.
“The Arbitral Award gave the Philippines legal standing; the next decade must deliver strategic strength,” Stratbase Institute president and SPARK lead author Dindo Manhit wrote in the publication.
As the country marks the 10th anniversary of the Arbitral Award, public support for defending the West Philippine Sea remains overwhelming.
A Stratbase-commissioned survey conducted last May found that 86 percent of Filipinos support the government’s efforts to defend the WPS alongside like-minded nations in accordance with the ruling.
“The survey results show that Filipinos understand that defending the West Philippine Sea requires more than legal arguments and diplomatic statements,” Manhit said. “It requires credible deterrence, stronger partnerships and national resilience.”
Manhit said this required accelerating efforts to transform the AFP into a technologically capable, multidomain force, fully implementing the Comprehensive Archipelagic Defense Concept, which integrates operations across land, maritime, air, cyber and information domains.
Whole-of-society effort needed
He, however, stressed that defending Philippine interests in the WPS requires more than military capability alone.
“National security today requires a whole-of-society effort involving government, civil society, academia, media, the private sector, faith-based organizations and international partners working together to strengthen resilience and uphold the rules-based international order,” he said.
The institute said this strategic direction is supported by public sentiment.
A 2025 Pulse Asia survey it commissioned found that Filipinos view support for the AFP and Philippine Coast Guard as the most important measure for defending the country’s rights in Philippine waters, followed by stronger alliances, joint patrols, military exercises and security cooperation with like-minded countries.