You are invited to a lecture by Supreme Court Senior Associate Justice Antonio T. Carpio on "The West Philippine Sea Dispute: Final Award of the Tribunal and Its Ramifications" at the Rizal Library, New Building, 5th floor Study Hall, on Friday, September 9, 3pm.
Justice Carpio will discuss the ramifications of the Final Award issued by the UNCLOS Tribunal at The Hague in the arbitration case filed by the Philippines against China on the West Philippine Sea dispute. The Final Award invalidates China’s nine-dash line, which encroaches on 80 percent of the Philippines’ 200-nautical-mile (NM) exclusive economic zone (EEZ) in the West Philippine Sea.
The Final Award also declares that the Spratly Islands are entitled only to 12-NM territorial seas, and that low-tide elevations in the Spratlys like Mischief Reef can be exploited only by the Philippines. The Final Award further declares that Filipino fishermen have traditional fishing rights in Scarborough Shoal.
The net result of the Final Award is to clear from any Chinese claim a Philippine EEZ in the West Philippine Sea larger than the total land area of the Philippines. All the fish, oil, gas, and mineral resources in this huge EEZ belong to the Philippines. Finally, Justice Carpio will discuss how the Final Award can be enforced.
An exhibit entitled "Mapping the Philippine Claim—Spratlys and Pulo in Ancient Maps: A Cartographic Exhibit" will also be opened on the same day at the Rizal Library, New Building, and will run until 30 September 2016. This exhibit is brought to you by the Rizal Library and the Institute for Maritime and Ocean Affairs, with assistance from the Ateneo Art Gallery.
The lecture and exhibit are open to the public.
- Log in to post comments