Sometime in 2012, President Benigno S. Aquino III called an important meeting in Malacañang Palace attended by then Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile, then Speaker Feliciano Belmonte, and key Cabinet members to discuss the latest incursions upon the country’s territorial waters.

On Jan. 22, 2013, the Philippines filed its formal arbitration case against China at the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) in The Hague, challenging the validity of China’s nine-dash line and expansive maritime claims in the South China Sea. The Court assessed the case and reached a verdict three and a half years later.

Ten years ago, on July 12, 2016, the Philippines achieved one of the greatest diplomatic and legal victories in its modern history. The PCA in The Hague handed down a sweeping decision that upheld the Philippines’ rights under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and, in the process, categorically rejected China’s expansive “nine-dash line” claim in the South China Sea.

The ruling was not merely a legal triumph. It was a testament to principled leadership, strategic vision, and unwavering faith in the rules-based international order.

President Aquino deserves credit for making the difficult but courageous decision to bring the case before an international tribunal despite overwhelming odds and intense political and economic pressure from China. Many doubted whether a middle-power nation like the Philippines could successfully challenge one of the world’s most powerful countries through peaceful legal means. Yet the Aquino administration believed that international law, rather than military might, offered the best path toward protecting Philippine sovereignty and sovereign rights.

Supporting him were two exceptional public servants. Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario tirelessly mobilized diplomatic support across the international community while consistently defending Philippine interests before global audiences. Solicitor General Florin Hilbay, together with an outstanding team of Filipino and international legal experts, presented a meticulously prepared case that ultimately persuaded the tribunal.

Their efforts culminated in a landmark award that declared China’s historic rights claims within the nine-dash line to have no legal basis under UNCLOS. The tribunal likewise affirmed the Philippines’ sovereign rights over resources within its exclusive economic zone and clarified the legal status of numerous maritime features in the West Philippine Sea.

The decision has since become a cornerstone of international maritime jurisprudence. Countries around the world increasingly cite the award in defending freedom of navigation and the peaceful settlement of disputes. While China continues to reject the ruling, its legal standing has steadily eroded in the eyes of the international community.

Regrettably, the years immediately following the award saw opportunities slip away.

The administration of President Rodrigo Duterte adopted a markedly different approach. Seeking closer economic ties with Beijing, it largely set aside the arbitral victory in favor of bilateral engagement. At times, official statements appeared to downplay the award’s significance, while incidents involving Chinese maritime activities in Philippine waters continued with increasing frequency.

History has shown that legal victories need to be fortified by sustained diplomacy, consistent policy, capable institutions, and national resolve.

The Marcos administration has restored greater emphasis on the arbitral award as the foundation of Philippine maritime policy. It has strengthened alliances with treaty partners, expanded defense cooperation, intensified maritime domain awareness, and consistently invoked the 2016 ruling in international forums. These are important steps in reaffirming that the award is not a historical document but a living legal instrument.

Still, much remains to be done.

The Philippines must continue building credible maritime and coast guard capabilities, modernize its Armed Forces, deepen cooperation with like-minded countries committed to a free and open Indo-Pacific, and vigorously pursue multilateral diplomacy within ASEAN and the United Nations. Every opportunity should be taken to remind the international community that compliance with international law benefits all nations, large and small.

Equally important is cultivating greater public understanding, especially among younger Filipinos, of what the arbitral award means. This is not about promoting hostility toward any nation. It is about defending what rightfully belongs to the Filipino people through peaceful, lawful means. National unity on this issue transcends politics and administrations.

The PCA ruling remains one of the defining achievements of Philippine diplomacy. It demonstrated that moral courage, legal excellence, and principled leadership can prevail even against formidable odds.

Foreign Affairs Secretary Maria Theresa Lazaro framed the significance of the milestone anniversary metaphorically:

“When the seas are calm, navigation is simple. But when the waters grow turbulent, when unilateral claims cloud the horizon, and when the shadow of coercion looms, nations need something more permanent than political convenience.”

As we mark its tenth anniversary, we honor the foresight of President Aquino, the determination of former Secretary Albert del Rosario, the legal brilliance of former Solicitors-General Francis Jardeleza and Florin Hilbay, and the contributions of many diplomats, lawyers, and public servants whose quiet dedication made this historic victory possible.

The challenge before today’s leaders is clear: preserve this legacy, build upon it, and ensure that future generations inherit not only the victory won in The Hague but also the resolve to defend it.

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