In observance of the Maritime and Archipelagic Awareness Month (Mana Mo), the Philippine Embassy in London hosted a forum last 22 September 2023, on the importance of the 2016 Arbitral Award on the South China Sea, with DFA-Maritime and Ocean Affairs Office Assistant Secretary Maria Angela Ponce as a special guest lecturer.

Ambassador Teodoro Locsin, Jr. in his welcome remarks said that the seas have played an important role in shaping and defining our history and national identity. As a maritime nation that depends on the seas for its survival, it is fitting that we continue to promote awareness and appreciation of our precious maritime heritage. He described the 2016 Arbitral Award as the gift of the Philippines to the world and recalled that the Philippines was all alone when the arbitration case started.

Assistant Secretary Ponce, in her lecture entitled ¨Not One Inch: The Importance of the South China Sea Arbitration¨ discussed salient points of the arbitral award; the current situation in the South China Sea; and the post arbitration strategies being undertaken by the DFA to promote understanding of the UNCLOS and the arbitral award to gain support of foreign governments to the Philippine position.

The forum held at the Sentro Rizal London was well attended with participants coming from members of the Academe from Cambridge, Filipino students and members of the Filipino community.