Environment Secretary Raphael Lotilla has ordered officials and personnel of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) to intensify efforts in upholding the country’s maritime rights in the West Philippine Sea (WPS).

He directed DENR officials to use the agency’s legal, scientific, and environmental resources to reinforce the Philippines’ 2016 arbitral victory against China’s expansive claims.

“These are essential to informing both Filipinos and the international community, protecting our marine environment from destruction, and showing that we are actively defending what is rightfully ours,” Lotilla said during a DENR symposium recently.

The 2016 ruling by the Permanent Court of Arbitration invalidated China’s “nine-dash line” and affirmed the Philippines’ sovereign rights within its Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).

“This landmark legal victory must not be taken for granted — the work is far from over,” Lotilla added.

Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio, who presented historical and legal evidence proving Philippine ownership of disputed areas in the WPS during the symposium, urged the country to develop a unified narrative backed by legal and environmental data to counter disinformation and challenge China’s claims internationally.

Meanwhile, Atty. Fretti Ganchoon, the senior state counsel of the Department of Justice (DOJ), said recent laws, such as the Philippine Maritime Zones Act and the Archipelagic Sea Lanes Act, align Philippine maritime policies with UNCLOS and reinforce the 2016 arbitral ruling.

He said the measures define the country’s maritime zones, institutionalize the term “West Philippine Sea,” and give the government firmer legal ground to protect marine resources and enforce jurisdiction over Philippine waters.

Dr. Fernando Siringan, a former director of the UP Marine Science Institute, said scientific research is essential to supporting the country’s claims.

He called for increased funding for habitat mapping, ecological monitoring, and coordinated marine research to generate data to back legal arguments and long-term protection plans.

Lotilla said the DENR will intensify inter-agency coordination, publish environmental reports on the WPS, and launch grassroots awareness efforts.

“The DENR is not just a steward of forests and rivers,” he said. “We are frontliners in protecting what is ours — from ridge to reef, and across our rightful seas.”