PHILIPPINE EMBASSY TALKS MARITIME FOREIGN POLICY WITH GEORGE WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY STUDENTS

PRESS RELEASE
WDC-65-2025

30 September 2025

Embassy Press and Information Section

info@phembassy-us.org

WASHINGTON, D.C. – As part of its continuing advocacy and outreach on maritime issues, the Philippine Embassy briefed officers of the Philippine Cultural Society at the George Washington University on Philippine foreign policy in the maritime domain.

The briefing outlined challenges faced by the Philippines in the West Philippine Sea and the South China Sea, and provided an overview of the 2016 South China Sea Arbitral Award which resolved maritime disputes in the area in favor of the Philippines. 

During the presentation, Minister Lenna Eilleen de Dios-Sison of the Embassy emphasized that the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), as the “constitution of the oceans”, guides all Philippine policy in the maritime domain.

By demonstrating our unwavering commitment to international law, specifically the UNCLOS, “we enhance our advocacy for a rules-based order in the maritime domain that lends to our efforts to secure recognition and respect for our maritime entitlements,” she added.

Minister Sison noted that as a demonstration of this commitment, the Philippines recently enacted two laws in November 2024 to align its domestic legal frameworks with the UNCLOS: the Philippine Maritime Zones Act and the Philippine Archipelagic Sea Lanes Act.

The briefing also noted that the Philippines continues to face significant challenges in the maritime sphere, particularly infringements on lawful rights and entitlements under international law, aggression against vessels and personnel, and significant damage to the marine environment. To address these challenges, the Philippines has employed the following strategic approaches: a firm and consistent advocacy for international law; effective diplomacy; enhancing partnerships with like-minded countries; and building national capacities to protect maritime interests.  

In closing, Philippine Ambassador Jose Manuel Romualdez stressed the importance of the yearly celebration of Maritime and Archipelagic Nation Awareness Month (MANAMo), especially in instilling our common maritime heritage among overseas Filipinos: “We hope that we can encourage you today to continue telling this story, by being ambassadors of the Philippines’ maritime advocacies in your respective circles.”

The event, which concluded with a sampling of seafood snacks, served as the Embassy’s culminating activity for MANAMo for 2025. ##