ARS CEO on West PH Sea row: "There’s consistency"

Release: 21 July

Last Edited: 21 July | 14:26

ARS Founder & CEO Julio Amador, together with UP-Institute for Maritime Affairs and Law of the Sea Director Prof. Jay Batongbacal, held a press conference last Thursday, 20 July 2023 on the need to advance a Maritime Zones Law. Mr. Amador and Prof. Batongbacal are featured on an article by the BusinessMirror.

According to Mr. Amador:

“...there’s consistency in the way that the administration has been going about in terms of the South China Sea. It has allowed the appropriate agencies such as the Department of Foreign Affairs to regularly make a statement on the South China Sea arbitration ruling. There are no conflicting messages in terms of our victory in the arbitral tribunal which I think is quite good,” Amador said.

Echoing Mr. Amador, Prof. Batongbacal said:

“I would rate it very highly at this point. So far, the signals have been good so I hope that this is sustained over the longer period,” Batongbacal said.

The two maritime experts have called on the present administration to make the Maritime Zones Bill a priority legislation; both also expects this to be a part of the State of the Nation Address (SONA). President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is scheduled on deliver his SONA on Monday, 24 July 2023. This month also marks the 7th year anniversary of the 12 July PCA Arbitral Award which invalidated China's illegal encompassing claims in the South China Sea.

To read the full article, read here [External Link to BusinessMirror].