Yes, let’s have many local governments beyond Cebu City and the Labrador municipality of Pangasinan declare July 12 as “Philippine Naval Victory Day” — we are looking, hopefully, at the nationwide celebration of this important legal event when we face down and defeat a superpower.
That was the day, ten years ago, when the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) in The Hague issued an arbitral award that removed the basis of China’s expansive claim to much of the South China Sea.
The Philippines, in this case, gave maritime states and others who rely on free navigation through strategic waterways to access valuable resources, a legal weapon to uphold such rights. I remember a time when, as a young researcher in one of the country’s security-related organizations, I envied Vietnam for defeating France and the United States respectively, and I wondered when the Philippines would make its mark that would be recognized by other powers.
INCOMPLETE MEMORY
There have been several bills introduced in the House of Representatives and the Senate to declare the “West Philippine Sea (WPS) Victory Day,” namely: House Bills No. 01626 and 0494 (both filed in July 2025 and still awaiting action in the Legislative Review committee), and last July’s Senate Bill and Representative File No. finance committees). Perhaps a sign of the laziness of the legislators regarding this proposal was the fact that the same measures included in the 17.th to him 19th Congresses (July 2016-June 2025) failed to become law.
These bills require activities to be marked every July 12, including “educational campaigns, conferences, forums and cultural events to emphasize the historical, economic, and environmental importance” of the 2016 arbitration decision “through various social media, including but not limited to television, radio, newspapers and Internet channels.”
Such a festival can serve as an annual reminder and rallying point of what is at stake as we resist violence in the West Philippine Sea or anywhere else within our exclusive economic zone (EEZ).
If you choose a small opposing word, other methods include: National Day of Maritime Resolution, National Day of Maritime Rights, Day of the Law of the Sea, etc., especially if we want to increase the spirit of our victory here to work throughout our EEZ (in case any country decides to push us elsewhere, e.g. Benham Rise rich marine and Pacific Ocean power of Luzon).
Because although polls from Social Weather Stations, Pulse Asia Research, and OCTA Research show that the majority of Filipinos favor the assertion of Philippine sovereignty rights in the WPS, and alliances to help protect those rights, experience has shown how easily we forget the lessons of recent history (leaving those at the forefront, especially the affected fishing communities in Bataan and Zambales, to defend themselves).
IN THE CHURCH
Let’s not pretend – The Chinese Communist Party, the government, and the state-controlled media, together with their paid followers in the Philippines (except those who truly believe, without any kind of salary, that criticizing Beijing as it was done by the previous administrations despite the continued aggression of China would be beneficial to us) have been very useful in social media and Beijing’s arguments. to be: if the saying walks like a duck, swims like a duck, ducks like a duck, and looks like a duck, it must be…)
This is a well-oiled propaganda machine, and the fact that many Filipinos rely heavily on social media for news.1 (although we are not alone with this profile) we are showing an uphill battle to educate the Filipino public about our WPS rights.
Apparently, Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines Jing Quan continues to tour Philippine government offices and leading private groups on potential bilateral cooperation, while embassy spokespersons Ji Lingpeng and Guo Wei are engaging with Philippine Defense and Coast Guard officials in tit-for-tat talks.
Personally, I can’t help but be depressingly jealous of China’s seemingly well-coordinated push-and-pull strategy toward the Philippines, fueled by Beijing’s elite foreign policy establishment and implementation.
Recently, Mr. Jing proposed to our Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) to establish a single fishery in Bajo de Masinloc.2fenced off Chinese ships, without exploring cooperation in the development of joint natural gas resources.
At first glance, those ideas may sound right, although Defense Secretary Gilberto C. Teodoro, Jr. immediately dismissed the proposal for a fishery, recalling that the controversial July 2016 decision upheld the rights of Philippine sovereignty within the WPS.³. Therefore, depending on the conditions, agreeing to this arrangement within our EEZ – where we have exclusive rights to all resources – may reduce our legal standing.
EYES WIDE OPEN
While I may be cautious in rejecting such suggestions outright, we would do well to remember that three fragile structures built by China as shelters for fishermen on Mischief Reef (known locally as Panganiban Reef, also within our EEZ) in 1994 turned into a military base in 2015 onwards (almost two years after we filed our case in Hangland). In addition, the promising negotiations to jointly explore gas at Reed Bank (also known as Recto Bank) in WPS were terminated in mid-2022 (yes, under the previous administration) as the proposed terms would violate our Constitution.4.
So there, one can see the limits of accepting the sensitivity of Beijing (besides, the fact that the former president Rodrigo Duterte himself made hidden references in his last year in office about the unfriendly actions of China to the Philippine military in the WPS).
In addition, even if we go ahead with these proposed artificial fisheries, there is still the problem that Chinese fishermen use larger sophisticated boats (many of which are commercial) than those used by our subsistence fishermen, who will simply be pushed aside…
Therefore, if we are to accept any recent changes from our neighbor to the north, we must keep our eyes open and prepare for appropriate contingencies in case things go south.
However, let it be said that we were closed to cooperation. Who knows? Negotiations may succeed this time after Beijing realizes how willing we are to back down from any aggression within our EEZ, including access to many countries whose economies depend on seamless shipping through the South China Sea, and accelerating the modernization of our military.
If we accept Beijing’s excesses, we need to speak with one voice to deliver clear messages at this important stage of bilateral relations. That means that only the DFA should talk about our bilateral relations with China (the Department of Defense, after all, like the one of Trade and Industry, has a different primary function). At the same time, that leading department should cooperate closely with all peers in the government, as well as businessmen and all other sectors concerned.
PUBLIC PURCHASE
For the long term, we need to mobilize the public on this issue, if only to resist Beijing’s rising propaganda that aims to undermine the international will to stand up for our rights within our EEZ.
It is for this reason that lectures given to students from time to time by coast guard officers may be commendable, but the separation between these events and other important ones cannot leave a mark on public awareness.
Inclusion of WPS in the Araling Panlipunan (social studies) curriculum for grades 4, 6, and 10.5 starting this year is a good start, so let’s see how that goes (hopefully, well-designed visual aids will be used).
But in order to increase public awareness of WPS issues, there is a need to consolidate and set up efforts in a specific area each year to have a greater impact, where July 12 presents a logical option.
This is one issue that provides a natural meeting place for government, civil society, and even businesses6therefore this annual effort can be led by groups such as the Atin Ito Coalition; sector groups such as Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya, the largest national federation of subsistence fishermen), Subic Commercial Fishers Association, New Masinloc Fishermen Association, and Samahan ng Cabangaan-3 Fishermen’s Unity, etc.; think tanks; the school; business groups; and relevant departments/agencies and local governments, with the participation of interested foreign embassies.
This annual festival, which revolves around a specific theme, can be marked as:
• a one-day forum on current affairs to include research institutions such as Stratbase Institute, WPS, Inc. (We Protect our Seas non-profit policy organization), the West Philippine Sea Institute, the University of the Philippines’ Institute for Maritime Affairs and Law of the Sea, and the Center for Strategic and International Studies’ Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative, among others – discussions here will be presented1 at the Malacaña2 July policy event. itself;
• art (such as the WPS Mural Festival 20267), student speech/essay contests;
• Local government and sector exhibitions (including fisheries related technologies) and exhibitions;
• Saturday evening pop concert at the EDSA People Power memorial, at the CCP Complex grounds (especially since this place faces the direction of WPS), or any other symbolic place (occasional concerts of Atin Ito at WPS are quite admirable, but there is a need for a place that can attract the youth to a wider participation);
• and public information campaigns on traditional and social media.
If enough interest goes into combining the various efforts now in the next year, the focus could be on how the WPS issue affects the common Filipino, that is, in terms of affordable, accessible fish and other seafood; activities; and even affordable, sufficient electricity for businesses and homes. I wrote about this topic in a previous column8so I won’t explain it anymore.
The coming year will be strategic and particularly important, coming as it does before preparations for the 2028 national and local elections, with both major powers sure to be keen to make an impact. For Beijing, the May 2028 elections will provide a potential shift in Philippine policy that will be too tempting to ignore.
And have you noticed? Some political leaders known to toe the Beijing line have recently changed their stance to sound less controversial.
So, those of us who are determined to fight for our rights within our EEZ have our work cut out for us, and we need to be at the top of our game on the way to 2028.
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Wilfredo G. Reyes was the editor-in-chief of the BusinessWorld from 2020 to 2023.
