The Philippines has called on the international community to reaffirm the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) as the legal framework governing the world's oceans, as the country marks the 10th anniversary of the landmark 2016 South China Sea Arbitral Award.

Speaking during the 36th Meeting of States Parties to the Law of the Sea (SPLOS 36) at the United Nations Headquarters in New York last week, the Philippine delegation underscored the importance of upholding UNCLOS and complying with decisions issued under its dispute settlement mechanisms.

In its national statement, the Philippines described the 2016 South China Sea Arbitral Award as a "guidepost" for states in addressing key maritime issues, including the invalidity of excessive or historic maritime claims, the legal status of maritime features, activities that infringe on the rights of coastal states, and obligations to protect and preserve the marine environment.

The arbitral award was issued on July 12, 2016, by a tribunal constituted under Annex VII of UNCLOS following a case filed by the Philippines against China in 2013.

The ruling invalidated China's expansive "nine-dash line" claim in the South China Sea, affirmed the Philippines' maritime entitlements under UNCLOS, and clarified the legal status of several disputed maritime features.

China has rejected the ruling, but the Philippines and many other countries continue to regard the decision as legally binding under international law.

During the meeting, the Philippine delegation stressed that judicial decisions and arbitral awards rendered under UNCLOS benefit not only the parties involved in disputes but also the international community by clarifying international law, strengthening legal certainty, and supporting the peaceful and predictable governance of the oceans.

Throughout the weeklong meeting from June 15 to 19, the Philippines also urged states to comply with rulings issued through UNCLOS' compulsory dispute settlement mechanisms, including the 2016 South China Sea Arbitral Award, and to respect advisory opinions that clarify the Convention's provisions.

Among these is the 2024 Advisory Opinion of the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS) on climate change and international law, which the Philippines cited as an authoritative interpretation of states' obligations under UNCLOS.

The Philippine delegation was led by Ambassador Enrique A. Manalo, the country's Permanent Representative to the United Nations in New York, and co-led by Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Assistant Secretary Emmanuel Donato K. Guzman.

The Philippines likewise reaffirmed its support for the three institutions established under UNCLOS—the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS), the International Seabed Authority (ISA), and the Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf (CLCS)—saying these bodies play complementary roles in maintaining the integrity of the international legal order at sea and ensuring the Convention's effective implementation.

SPLOS is the annual gathering of countries that have ratified UNCLOS to discuss matters related to the implementation of the Convention, including the administration of ITLOS and the election of its members.