PRESS RELEASE
WDC-42-2026
08 July 2026
Embassy Press and Information Section
WASHINGTON, D.C. – In a reception marking the 10th anniversary of the historic 2016 Arbitral Award on the South China Sea, Philippine Ambassador to the U.S. Jose Manuel Romualdez declared the Philippines’ staunch commitment to a rules-based order where “right is might”, before the honored guests led by U.S. Department of State (DoS) Assistant Secretary Michael DeSombre, DoS Deputy Assistant Secretary Mr. Hunt VanderToll, and the former counsel of the Republic of the Philippines during the 2016 arbitration, Atty. Paul Reichler.
University of the Philippines Professor Dr. Jay Batongbakal and De La Salle University Professor Dr. Charmaine Misalucha-Willoughby were invited as special guests who gave their insights on the Award during the program. Both professors are in D.C. to attend as resource speakers for an event of the Center for Strategic and International Studies.
“It reminds us that international law derives its strength not from force or coercion, but from the collective resolve of nations to uphold and respect it. It reminds us that the true measure of a rules-based order is not whether it is convenient, but whether it is defended precisely when it is challenged and when it is applied to all or to no one at all. I believe all of us here are like-minded in that belief,” the Ambassador said of the Arbitral Award during his opening remarks.
Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Michael George DeSombre, who served as a special guest during the reception, maintained that the Arbitral Award remains the most authoritative basis for peacefully resolving disputes in the South China Sea, and emphasized the key role of the Philippines-U.S. alliance in promoting regional stability: “Together, we are working to safeguard maritime security in the South China Sea and promote a free and open Indo-Pacific. Highlighting the importance of the Arbitral Award is a testament to our shared interests and vision for the Indo-Pacific.”
Dr. Jay Batongbacal, Director of the UP Institute for Marine and Law of the Sea, said that the Arbitral Award has galvanized the Philippine national response to issues in the South China Sea amidst immense challenges. “Our people have never been so united around a single foreign policy issue. The Arbitration has become a catalyst for national awareness and national unity, and that shows us the power of this ideal that ‘right is might’,” Dr. Batongbacal added.
For her part, Dr. Charmaine Misalucha-Willoughby, Associate Professor at Department of International Studies of the De La Salle University, noted that while the Arbitral Award was a legal and moral victory, upholding the rule of law is an ongoing endeavor. “It bears repeating that in a world of great powers, international law remains a critical tool that small and medium powers like the Philippines can use to protect and advance their national interests. It is up to us to continue upholding rules and norms that ensure the functions of international relations,” she said.
The Arbitral Award on the South China Sea, issued on 12 July 2016 by the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague, unanimously ruled in favor of the Philippines in invalidating the sweeping claims over the South China Sea and affirming the Philippines’ maritime entitlements therein in accordance with international law. The Philippines commemorates the 10th anniversary of the Arbitral Award this year under the theme “A Decade Hence: The Enduring Promise of Peaceful Dispute Settlement”.
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Dr. Batongbacal and Prof. Willoughby contemplate on the significance of the Arbitral Award and its future during their remarks.