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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider DND to sustain nonstop deployment of assets in West Philippine Sea

DND to sustain nonstop deployment of assets in West Philippine Sea

Published Jul 18, 2026 02:18 pm

At A Glance

  • The Department of National Defense said it will continue the unceasing deployment of military assets in the West Philippine Sea to secure Philippine waters and document illegal, coercive, aggressive, and deceitful activities by foreign vessels.
  • The DND said the 2016 Arbitral Award continues to serve as the Philippines' legal basis for protecting its maritime rights under UNCLOS, adding that dozens of countries have expressed support for the ruling.
  • Meanwhile, the National Maritime Council denounced a racist video released by China's state-run media outlet China Daily and said propaganda cannot undermine the Philippines' legal position in the West Philippine Sea or its commitment to peaceful, rules-based diplomacy.
Philippine Coast Guard and United States Coast Guard ships execute coordinated maneuvers in the West Philippine Sea as part of the Bilateral MCA on June 27, 2026. (Photo: Armed Forces of the Philippines)
Philippine Coast Guard and United States Coast Guard ships execute coordinated maneuvers in the West Philippine Sea as part of the Bilateral MCA on June 27, 2026. (Photo: Armed Forces of the Philippines)
The Department of National Defense (DND) on Saturday, July 18, said it will sustain the continuous deployment of military assets in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) to protect the country's maritime territory and expose “illegal” activities by foreign vessels.
The commitment came a week after the country celebrated the 10th anniversary of the 2016 Arbitral Award, which invalidated China's expansive claims over the South China Sea and upheld the Philippines' sovereign rights within its exclusive economic zone (EEZ) under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
“As such, the DND and Armed Forces of the Philippines will unceasingly deploy our assets to secure our archipelagic nation and continue to uphold the international rules-based order and international law by documenting and exposing illegal, coercive, aggressive, and deceitful activities in our waters and EEZ,” DND spokesperson Assistant Secretary Arsenio Andolong said.
“We will demonstrate to the world that our actions are rooted in evidence, truth, and international law, not propaganda,” he added.
The Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague issued the landmark ruling on July 12, 2016 after finding that China's sweeping claims in the South China Sea had no legal basis under UNCLOS.
The DND said the Philippines continues to receive broad international support for the decision.
“The international community stands firmly with us, with 27 nations demanding respect for the Arbitral Ruling and another 17 explicitly backing it,” Andolong said.
In a separate statement, the National Maritime Council (NMC) said the support from partner countries reaffirmed that the arbitral award remains final and legally binding.
It also maintained that the Philippines would continue to pursue dialogue while protecting its sovereignty through peaceful means despite China's continued rejection of the ruling.
Meanwhile, the NMC also condemned a derogatory video released by Chinese state-run media outlet China Daily depicting Filipinos through racist imagery, a monkey wearing a barong and salakot.
The council said such material undermines constructive engagement and cannot weaken the Philippines' legal position in the WPS.
For the DND, however, the arbitral award is not only a legal victory but also a continuing guide for military operations.
“This legal victory is an enduring inheritance belonging to every Filipino citizen and the generations of Filipinos yet to come,” Andolong said.
“The DND and AFP will not waver, back down, or yield an inch of our territory. We will continue to build a credible deterrent that honors this victory, secures our seas, and ensures a peaceful, rules-based order in our West Philippine Sea,” he added.

Related Tags

DND WPS NMC Arbitral Award
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