7 years hence: Asserting Hague court victory

It is times like these that I miss former ambassador Albert del Rosario the most. If he were still with us today, he would have been the leading persona in commemorating the ruling of the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) on the Philippines’ petition against China regarding the West Philippine Sea (WPS). That decision was handed down on July 12, 2016—nearly seven years ago. He would have been among the most vocal in reminding us not to give in to despair or frustration amid China’s continued bullying in the region.

Seven years is a long time, but also a short one. Even as the PCA ruled in our favor, we have yet to feel secure in our territorial integrity and sovereignty. China obstinately refuses to recognize the jurisdiction of the arbitral court in The Hague. Still, July 12 will always be an important date in our struggle because this is the day that reminds us that we have solid legal and moral basis for our claim.

Our victory assures us that we are on the right side of history, not just according to us but according to international law. Despite continued defiance from the other party, and despite the previous administration’s reluctance and faintness of heart to do so, we must assert this ruling. It is the right thing to do. It is the only thing to do.

In asserting our victory, we will also be responding to geopolitical and geoeconomic risks affecting state policies and state relations in many ways. These include, aside from internal and external defense, information and communications technology, infrastructure, health, governance, tourism, trade and investment, energy, manufacturing, and the environment.

We need only to look around us, to the community of nations that have shown support for the Philippines in this continuing saga. Just this year, members of the Group of Seven, composed of the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, and Japan, and the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, composed of the US, Australia, India, and Japan, unequivocally backed the Philippines’ call for a rules-based international order in the Indo-Pacific region. Other nations have also done so. These are not empty messages of support. Our friends and allies have consistently proven their sincerity with action to help us strengthen our defense and security capabilities. Recent joint activities attest to this.

All these are aligned with President Marcos’ promise, early on in his term, not to abandon even one square inch of territory of the Republic of the Philippines to any foreign power. He also assured us that the Philippines will never again be subservient to any external force that would direct or determine our destiny.

And then, newly appointed Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro said he wants to support the strengthening of our external defense capabilities, believing that this could be done without sacrificing internal security.

“Our territory is our territory,” he said during one of his first public appearances as secretary. “Unclos (United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea) cannot be changed by the passage of time, nor changes in administration.”

Moreover, Filipinos themselves have seen their opinion evolve on whether or not the Philippine government should assert its right to the WPS as stipulated in the decision of the PCA. In a 2016 Pulse Asia survey, 84 percent of Filipinos agreed with this statement. In 2022, the percentage grew to 89 percent. Like-minded states have also been shown to enjoy high net trust ratings by Filipinos: 74 percent for the US, 48 percent for Australia, 42 percent for Singapore, and 32 percent for Japan.

Against this backdrop, and on the occasion of the anniversary of the arbitral ruling, the Stratbase ADR Institute will hold a hybrid town hall discussion entitled “The 7th Year of the Arbitral Victory: Defending the WPS, the Indo-Pacific, and the Rules-Based Order.” The event will be on July 12, 2023, Wednesday, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Manila Polo Club. It will also be live streamed via Zoom. The event will gather representatives of the Australian, Japanese, European Union, British, and Indian embassies—like-minded states that share the values and principles Filipinos hold so dear.

This will be the first July 12 that ADR, who was an instrumental, inspiring leader in this fight, will not be with us. That is only physically. He will continue to be with us in our conversations and actions as we carry on asserting our integrity and sovereignty.

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Dindo Manhit is founder and CEO of the Stratbase Group.