Manila: Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Secretary Raphael Lotilla has vowed to mobilize the agency to strengthen the country's defense of its maritime rights in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) through credible science and grassroots action.

According to Philippines News Agency, Lotilla, in an exclusive symposium for DENR officials, emphasized the agency's crucial role in producing scientific data, environmental reports, and legal strategies to uphold the country's 2016 arbitral victory. These efforts aim to inform Filipinos and the international community, protect the marine environment from destruction, and demonstrate active defense of the nation's rights.

The Permanent Court of Arbitration in 2016 invalidated China's expansive claims under its 'nine-dash line' and affirmed the Philippines' sovereign rights within its Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). Lotilla stressed that this landmark legal victory must not be taken for granted, highlighting the need for continuous evidence gathering to inform both Filipinos and the international community.

Experts, including former Senior Supreme Court Justice Antonio Carpio, marine geologist and former Director of the UP Marine Science Institute Fernando Siringan, and maritime and environmental law expert and Department of Justice Senior State Counsel Freddie Ganton, underscored the importance of investing in coordinated research, habitat mapping, and ecological monitoring to reinforce the Philippines' claims.

Lotilla instructed the DENR to enhance inter-agency coordination, publish marine environmental reports, and initiate local awareness campaigns to make communities active stakeholders in protecting the country's maritime territories. He emphasized that the DENR is more than just a steward of forests and rivers, stating, "We are frontliners in safeguarding what is rightfully ours, from our mountains to our marine territory."