Two senators on Friday, July 12, stressed the importance of the 2016 arbitral ruling that upheld the Philippines’ rights over the West Philippine Sea.

The Philippines is celebrating the eighth anniversary of the Permanent Court of Arbitration’s 2016 ruling that stipulates the country has exclusive sovereign rights over the West Philippine Sea in the South China Sea and which invalidated China’s so-called “nine-dash line.”

“The commemoration of our historic victory before the arbitral tribunal becomes even more consequential amid China's belligerent ambitions in the WPS,” Sen. Grace Poe said in a statement.

“The award affirms to the community of nations that rule of law prevails, and that peace and stability can only be attained when founded on rules-based order on the oceans,” she said.

Equally important, Poe stressed is that the 2016 ruling upheld the Philippines’ sovereign rights and jurisdiction in its exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

“Bahagi na ng kasaysayan ang award na ito; hindi na mabubura sa isip ng ating mga kababayan at sa mga kaalyado nating bansa (This award is part of history and will never be erased from the minds of our compatriots and our allied countries),” she said.

Sen. Loren Legarda, likewise, urged Filipinos to be proud and celebrate the country’s victory and to reject any attempts to belittle or reduce the Philippine’s success in the international tribunal.

“Ang panggugulo ng usapin at pagsasabi ng mga argumentong nagpapalito ay hindi nakatutulong sa Pilipinas o sa iba pang bansang sumusuporta sa desisyon ng tribunal (Messing up the issue and making confusing arguments does not help the Philippines or other countries that support the tribunal's decision),” Legarda said.

“Hindi rin ito nakatutulong sa ating mga kawal na walang iniindang nagsisilbi sa BRP Sierra Madre at ng mga mangingisdang nais pang makapangisda doon (It also does not help our soldiers who serve the BRP Sierra Madre and the fishermen who still want to fish there),” she said.

Legarda said it is very imperative to bear in mind that every Filipino and fellow fishermen should benefit and freely use the marine resources of the WPS.

“Makapangusap tayo sa lahat ng ating kababayan na huwag balewalain o bawasan ang halaga ng ganitong tagumpay (We can talk to all our fellow citizens not to ignore or reduce value of this success),” Legarda said.

“May mga akademiko at iba pa na nagsasabing wala naman tayong naipanalo, pilit na pinahihina ang ating posisyon sa pamamagitan ng paggamit ng mga argumentong hindi maka-Pilipino (There are academics and others who say that we have not won anything, trying to weaken our position by using un-Filipino arguments),” she lamented.

“Walang duda na itinakda ng tribunal na nasira ang ating kapaligiran sa West Philippine Sea, pagkasira na hindi na maibabalik. Walang duda rin na itinakda nito na walang nine-dash line ang Tsina (There is no doubt that the tribunal has determined that our environment in the WPS has been damaged, damage that cannot be reversed. There is no doubt that it also stipulates that China does not have a nine-dash line),” she stressed.

“Ipagdiwang natin ang panalong ito (Let’s celebrate this win),” the senator reiterated.