Speaking at a recent symposium he hosted for DENR officials, Lotilla highlighted how scientific data, environmental assessments, and legal strategies can help protect marine biodiversity while asserting the country’s rightful claims.
“These are essential to informing both Filipinos and the international community, protecting our marine environment from destruction, and showing that we are actively defending what is rightfully ours,” he said.
The 2016 decision by the Permanent Court of Arbitration invalidated China’s sweeping “nine-dash line” claims and upheld the Philippines’ sovereign rights within its Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). Lotilla cautioned that while the ruling is a major legal milestone, “the work is far from over.”
During the symposium, Senior Supreme Court Justice Antonio Carpio, one of the Philippines’ foremost experts on the maritime dispute, presented historical and legal evidence backing the country’s claims. He underscored the need for a unified national narrative, reinforced by credible environmental data, to counter disinformation and rally international support.
Atty. Freddie Gaton, Senior State Counsel at the Department of Justice, noted that the Philippine Maritime Zones Act and the Archipelagic Sea Lanes Act align the country’s domestic laws with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), effectively integrating the 2016 ruling into national legislation.
“These laws clarify our maritime zones and enhance our capacity to regulate, protect, and assert our sovereignty,” Gaton said, adding that formalizing the term “West Philippine Sea” also bolsters diplomatic and legal standing.
Dr. Fernando Siringan, a marine geologist and former director of the UP Marine Science Institute, emphasized the importance of scientific research in defending the country’s maritime entitlements. He called for intensified ecological monitoring and habitat mapping to generate data that can support long-term marine conservation and legal action.
Lotilla pledged to mobilize the DENR’s scientific, legal, and environmental expertise to strengthen national efforts. He also directed the agency to intensify inter-agency coordination, publish marine environmental reports, and launch awareness campaigns.
“The DENR is not just a steward of forests and rivers,” Lotilla said. “We are frontliners in protecting what is ours — from ridge to reef, and across our rightful seas.” —Ed: Corrie S. Narisma
