The United States has pledged to continue working with the Philippines to uphold maritime security in the South China Sea as the country prepares to mark the 10th anniversary of the 2016 Arbitral Award.
US Official Reaffirms Support for Arbitral Award
At a reception hosted by the Philippine Embassy in Washington, DC on July 8, 2026, Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Michael George DeSombre declared that the landmark ruling remains the most authoritative basis for peacefully resolving disputes in the South China Sea.
“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,” DeSombre said.
Philippine Commemoration of the Award
The Philippines is commemorating the award's 10th anniversary under the theme “A Decade Hence: The Enduring Promise of Peaceful Dispute Settlement.” On July 12, 2016, the Arbitral Tribunal constituted under the 1982 Law of the Sea Convention dismissed China’s so-called nine-dash line as illegal.
University of the Philippines (UP) Institute for Marine and Law of the Sea Director Jay Batongbacal noted that the ruling fully galvanized the Philippines’ national response to South China Sea issues.
“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,” Batongbacal said.
Academic and Diplomatic Perspectives
Charmaine Misalucha-Willoughby, Associate Professor at De La Salle University’s Department of International Studies, described the award as a “legal and moral victory” for the Philippines.
“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,” she said. “It is up to us to continue upholding rules and norms that ensure the functions of international relations.”
Philippine Ambassador to the US Jose Manuel Romualdez affirmed Manila’s continuing commitment to the rule of law.
“(The award) 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,” Romualdez said.
The reception was also attended by Department of State Deputy Assistant Secretary Hunt VanderToll and Paul Reichler, the Philippine government’s former counsel during the 2016 arbitration.
