12/07/2026
OSG: Arbitral Award Endures Because the Republic Continues to Live by It
MANILA, Philippines. On the 10th anniversary of the landmark 2016 South China Sea Arbitral Award, Solicitor General Darlene Marie B. Berberabe emphasized that the Award's enduring significance lies not merely in the legal victory won in The Hague, but in the Republic's continuing commitment to uphold and institutionalize its principles.
Speaking before government officials, members of the diplomatic corps, and legal experts during the forum commemorating the Award's tenth anniversary held on July 10 under the auspices of the Department of Foreign Affairs, the Solicitor General underscored that the Award remains a living instrument of national policy because it has been woven into the Philippines' Constitution, laws, institutions, and daily governance.
"The promulgation of a judgment is an event; but a legal protection ought not to be a singular moment, but consistent practice," the Solicitor General said. "The South China Sea Award endures not because it was rendered in The Hague, but because the Republic chose, and continues to choose, to live by it."
The Solicitor General highlighted that the Award gave legal certainty to the Philippines' sovereign rights within its Exclusive Economic Zone, affirming the country's exclusive rights over its marine resources, protecting the traditional fishing rights of Filipino fishermen in Bajo de Masinloc, and rejecting maritime entitlements based on China’s so-called nine-dash line.
She explained that the Award's protections have since been translated into concrete action through constitutional mandates, landmark legislation such as the Philippine Maritime Zones Act and the Archipelagic Sea Lanes Act, executive measures, maritime governance, and the continuing work of institutions tasked with defending the country's rights in the West Philippine Sea.
Recognizing the collective effort behind the Republic's maritime advocacy, the Solicitor General paid tribute to the Philippine Coast Guard, the Department of National Defense and the Armed Forces of the Philippines, the Department of Foreign Affairs, the National Security Council, the Department of Justice, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, the Department of Energy, the Department of Agriculture, the Department of Finance, the Department of Interior and Local Government, the Department of Transportation, the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, the NAMRIA, the National Intelligence and Coordinating Agency, Presidential Communications Office and other government agencies that continue to assert the country's rights through peaceful and lawful means.
She also defined the unique role of the Office of the Solicitor General in this national effort:
"We are not the ships; we are the legal spine. The Office exists so that every action the Republic takes at sea can be defended in every forum in which it may ever be tested."
The Solicitor General further stressed that the Award protects not only Philippine maritime entitlements, but also the broader international order founded on the rule of law, freedom of navigation, regional stability, and the peaceful settlement of disputes.
Concluding her address, she reminded the audience that the Republic's responsibility extends beyond remembering the historic victory.
"An award is paper until a Republic chooses to live by it."
She emphasized that, ten years after the landmark decision, the Philippines continues to transform the Award from a legal judgment into a lasting national commitment, one that protects the country's marine patrimony, safeguards the livelihood of Filipino fishermen, strengthens national and regional security, and preserves the rule of law for future generations.
