03/06/2026
THIS ISN'T JUST ABOUT A SHOAL. IT'S ABOUT EVERY FILIPINO'S MARITIME FUTURE | Panatag Shoal lies approximately 124 nautical miles (230 km) from Zambales, well within the Philippines' 200-nautical-mile Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
The Philippine position is grounded on law and established facts:
๐ต๐ญ The 2016 Arbitral Award affirmed the Philippines' sovereign rights within its EEZ.
๐ต๐ญ Filipino fishermen have relied on these waters for generations as a source of livelihood and food security.
๐ต๐ญ Any unauthorized construction, obstruction, coercive activity, or attempt to alter maritime features within the Philippine EEZ undermines the rules-based international order.
Rights do not disappear because they are challenged, and facts do not change because they are repeated differently.
The Philippines will continue to uphold its lawful rights, protect its maritime domain, and pursue peace through transparency, international law, and respect for established rules.
Law. Facts. Rights. These remain the foundation of the Philippine position on Panatag Shoal.