The Stratbase Institute, in partnership with the Australian Embassy in the Philippines, will host a major international conference titled “9th Year of the Arbitral Victory: Defending the Rules- Based Order through Reinforced Defense Capabilities and Partnerships” on July 11, 2025 (Friday), from 9:00 AM to 4:30 PM at the Main Lounge of the Manila Polo Club in Makati City.
The event marks nine years since the Philippines’ legal victory at the Permanent Court of Arbitration, which affirmed Philippine maritime entitlements under international law and
invalidated China’s sweeping claims in the South China Sea. But nine years on, Chinese vessels—now numbering over 260—continue to challenge Philippine sovereignty in the West Philippine Sea.
The forum will highlight the defense of national interest, the importance of international law, and the growing support from like-minded states for a rules-based order in the Indo-Pacific.
“This is not simply a legal commemoration. This is a reaffirmation of our sovereign rights and our commitment to the rule of law,” said Prof. Victor Andres “Dindo” Manhit, President of Stratbase Institute.
“We honor the men and women of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), who put their lives on the line to uphold our sovereignty. But they do not stand alone. Our partners stand with us because this is not just our fight, but a test of whether international law still matters,” he added.
The conference emulates the passionate advocacy of the late Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert Del Rosario, one of the principal architects of the Philippines’ legal case.
“Philippine interests are best promoted when all states, of any size or power, adhere to the commonly agreed upon standards that govern countries’ rights and relationships. International law, in my view, is the great equalizer. Through it, a country of 100 million people is the equal of one that is more powerful, and that is more than ten times its size,” Del Rosario, who was also the chairman of the Stratbase Institute, said in a previous speech.
“When we agree to rules and commit to upholding them, we create predictability, promote stability, foster a peaceful environment conducive to resolving disputes, and maintain the dignity of our independence as a nation. In no other arena would we have the same footing,” he added.
International and Philippine Voices Aligned
Discussions in the forum will focus on regional security, defense modernization, maritime cooperation, and the continued importance of upholding the 2016 Arbitral Award as afoundation of peace and stability.
“This is a defining moment for Philippine foreign and security policy,” Manhit shared.
“Together with our allies and partners, we are defending maritime rights and the very idea of a rules-based international order,” he added.
For Manhit, now is the time for leadership and clarity.
“Staying silent in the face of China’s aggression is not neutrality, but neglect of duty. Our leaders must stand up and speak out,” he said.
Manhit emphasized that upholding Philippine national interest requires unified and vocal support from all government officials.
“We chose the officials who lead us because we believed them when they promised to champion our interests—above their own, above others. This is exactly why we are rejecting those who are parroting the lines of a foreign aggressor, twisting the facts, and downplaying the implications of the aggression on the life of our nation,” he shared.
He added, “The attitude of our officials must at least match the dedication of our military and the civilians bravely taking part in missions to assert our sovereign rights in the West Philippine Sea. The lack of courage to stand up to China’s bully tactics reveals their fundamental flaws as a leader and public servant. What we need now is moral clarity and political courage.”
