Manila: Philippine foreign service posts are stepping up efforts to promote a rules-based international order and adherence to international law as the country marks the 10th anniversary of the 2016 Arbitral Award on the South China Sea. Several Philippine embassies, including those in Australia and Brunei, reaffirmed Manila's commitment to resolving disputes peacefully in accordance with international law.
According to Philippines News Agency, at a reception in Canberra this week, the Philippine Embassy in Australia underscored the country's commitment to regional peace and the peaceful settlement of disputes through legal means. The embassy said the landmark 2016 ruling of the Arbitral Tribunal, issued following the Philippines' case against China, benefits not only the country but also the international community. It described the award as a milestone and a lasting basis for the peaceful settlement of disputes under international law.
"The Philippine Embassy in Canberra reaffirms the Philippines' steadfast commitment to the peaceful resolution of disputes, respect for international law, and the promotion of a rules-based international order that contributes to regional peace, stability, and prosperity," it said.
The Philippine Embassy in Brunei echoed the message as it unveiled three historic maps highlighting the country's cartographic heritage and identity as an archipelagic nation. "As the Philippines marks a decade since the issuance of the 2016 Arbitral Award, the Embassy reaffirms the country's steadfast commitment to the peaceful settlement of disputes, respect for international law, and the rules-based international order embodied in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS)," it said.
The unveiling of the maps stands as a tribute to the enduring Filipino commitment to preserving history, advancing knowledge, and safeguarding the legacy of an archipelagic nation whose story has always been written across the seas. The embassy displayed the 1734 Carta Hydrographica y Chorographica de las Yslas Filipinas, widely known as the Murillo Velarde Map; the 1808 Carta General del Archipi©lago de Filipinas; and the 1875 Carta General del Archipi©lago Filipino in its 1902 fourth edition during a ceremony at the chancery on July 13.
Issued on July 12, 2016 under the 1982 UNCLOS, the arbitral award clarified the maritime entitlements of parties in the South China Sea and affirmed the legal framework governing maritime rights and obligations.
