MANILA, Philippines — Foreign Affairs Secretary Ma. Theresa P. Lazaro said that maritime security in the Indo-Pacific has become an indivisible global responsibility.
Speaking to European diplomats and the academe at the 17th Festival della Diplomazia on Oct. 26, 2026, Lazaro focused on the 10th anniversary of the 2016 South China Sea Arbitral Award, which nullified Beijing’s expansive maritime claims under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (Unclos). She affirmed that the legal victory remained final and binding, serving as a shield for smaller nations against superpowers.
"The Award demonstrates that even amid profound asymmetries of power, international law offers nations a peaceful means to defend their rights," Lazaro said in her speech on the theme “What’s Next? Running on the Edge.”
Despite facing continued coercion and harassment in Philippine waters, Lazaro emphasized that Manila's diplomatic restraint should not be misinterpreted.
"Restraint is not surrender. Dialogue is not acquiescence," she told the assembly. "The Philippines seeks no confrontation. Neither will we relinquish our lawful rights."
She warned European leaders that ignoring violations in Asia undermines global security, stating that if international law is disregarded in the South China Sea, "its authority is weakened in the Mediterranean, the Adriatic, and everywhere else."
Turning to regional strategy, Lazaro outlined Manila's priorities for its 2026 Asean Chairmanship under the theme “Navigating Our Future, Together.” She noted that Asean must move past mere anniversaries to secure concrete resolutions, particularly a legally binding Code of Conduct in the South China Sea that respects Unclos, and an inclusive solution to the ongoing crisis in Myanmar.
