Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Secretary Raphael Lotilla has called on fellow public servants to take a bolder, more strategic role in defending the country’s maritime rights in the West Philippine Sea (WPS).
In a press statement, Lotilla underscored the critical role DENR plays in reinforcing the maritime rights through scientific data, environmental reports, and legal-environmental strategies.
“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,” Lotilla said in a symposium hosted by the agency.
The 2016 ruling by the Permanent Court of Arbitration declared as invalid China’s expansive claims under its so-called “nine-dash line” and affirmed the Philippines’ sovereign rights within its Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).
“This landmark legal victory must not be taken for granted — the work is far from over,” Lotilla stressed.
Former Supreme Court Justice Antonio Carpio, one of the most vocal people on the issue, presented historical and legal evidence affirming Philippine ownership of key islands and reefs in the WPS.
Carpio urged the country to develop a unified narrative to counter disinformation and challenge China before the international community, backed by legal and environmental evidence that the DENR can help provide.
Lawyer Freddie Ganton, a senior counsel at the Department of Justice and an expert in maritime and environmental law, emphasized that the Philippine Maritime Zones and the Archipelagic Sea Lanes laws align with the UNCLOS (United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea).
The domestic laws clearly defined the country’s maritime zones and strengthened the legal basis for exercising jurisdiction over Philippine waters.
Ganton added that these measures integrate the 2016 arbitral ruling into Philippine law, giving the country firmer authority to protect marine resources, regulate activities, and assert sovereignty.
They also institutionalize the term “West Philippine Sea,” further strengthening the country’s position in both law enforcement and diplomatic engagement.
Dr. Fernando Siringan, marine geologist and former director of the UP Marine Science Institute stressed that scientific research is vital to upholding the Philippines’ maritime rights.
He called for greater investment in coordinated research, habitat mapping, and ecological monitoring to generate data that can reinforce the 2016 arbitral ruling and support long-term marine protection.
Lotilla vowed to mobilize the DENR’s environmental, legal, and scientific capabilities in support of national sovereignty. Among his directives are strengthening inter-agency coordination, publishing marine environmental reports, and launching grassroots 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.”
Editor’s Note: This is an updated article. Originally posted with the headline “Lotilla charts bold DENR role in upholding West Philippine Sea victory”
