By President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Friday said the 2016 arbitral award on the South China Sea (SCS) is a victory for Filipino fisherfolk and coastal communities, emphasizing that adherence to international maritime law remains “non-negotiable, irreplaceable, non-optional.”
Speaking at a diplomatic reception in Pasay City to mark the 10th anniversary of the landmark ruling, Marcos underscored the importance of protecting the rights and livelihoods of communities that depend on the sea.
“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. It is about our coastal communities whose survival is tied to the health and ecological integrity of our oceans.”
