MANILA, Philippines – Iginiit ni Pangulong Ferdinand Marcos Jr. ang kahalagahan ng legal victory ng Pilipinas sa China para sa West Philippine Sea, at sinabing ang landmark arbitral ruling ay para sa pagprotekta sa buhay at kabuhayan ng mga Filipino.
Sa pagsasalita sa diplomatic reception para sa 10th anniversary ng 2016 arbitral award sa Pasay City, sinabi ni Marcos na ang ruling “is not just an abstract triumph of jurisprudence.”
“It has a profound and deeply human dimension,” aniya.
“At its heart, this award is about people. It is about our fisherfolk whose ancestors have cast their nets in these waters for many generations, and who deserve to fish in peace, in safety, and with the dignity to feed their own families,” dagdag pa ng Pangulo.
“It is about our coastal communities whose survival is tied to the health and ecological integrity of our oceans.”
Sa pagdepensa sa rule of law, sinabi ni Marcos na ito ay hindi lamang pagprotekta sa “lines on a map.”
“We are defending the lives, the livelihoods, and the future of our peoples. The law exists ultimately to protect the vulnerable, to shield human dignity from the whims of raw power,” anang Pangulo.
Noong Hulyo 12, 2016 ay ibinasura ng Hague-based Permanent Court of Arbitration ang claims ng China sa kabuuan ng South China Sea at sinabing wala itong legal na basehan sa ilalim ng United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), sa isang kaso na dinala ng Pilipinas noong 2013.
Ayon sa Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), ang desisyon ay kumikilala sa sovereign rights at hurisdiksyon ng Pilipinas sa exclusive economic zone (EEZ), kabilang ang mga lugar sa South China Sea na tinatawag bilang West Philippine Sea.
“For the Philippines, our path forward remains clear and absolute. We remain steadfastly committed to the United Nations Charter and to UNCLOS. For our pursuit of peace is not passive. It requires the courage to defend what is right, to uphold our international commitments, and to engage constructively with all who seek mutual respect and shared prosperity,” sinabi ni Marcos.
“We hold a simple but unwavering conviction. The South China Sea must never be an arena of conflict. It must remain a sea of peace, cooperation, and connectivity. A body of water that sustains livelihoods, fosters trade, protects marine biodiversity, and unites rather than divides our nations.”
Dahil dito ay hinimok niya ang pamahalaan, diplomats, at mga mamamayan na patuloy na alalahanin ang legasiya ng arbitral ruling.
“Let the next decade be defined not by what international law prevents, but by what we can collectively achieve when we honor its promise to protect the vulnerable, to safeguard our oceans, and to secure a stable, peaceful world,” aniya. RNT/JGC
