President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. thanked Canada for its consistent support for a rules-based order in the South China Sea and for upholding the 2016 Arbitral Award won by the Philippines.
Marcos made the statement on Thursday during his joint press statement with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney at the Vancouver Convention Centre.
“As the Philippines celebrates the 10th anniversary of the 2016 Arbitral Tribunal Award on the South China Sea, I thanked Canada for its vocal and consistent support for a rules-based order in the South China Sea, under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), and in upholding the Arbitral Award as final and legally binding,” President Marcos said.
The Arbitral Award, issued by the Permanent Court of Arbitration under UNCLOS, was officially finalized on July 12, 2016.
The tribunal ruled in favor of the Philippines and invalidated China’s “nine-dash line,” declaring that China’s historic rights claims over the South China Sea have no legal basis.
Marcos also thanked Canada for its Dark Vessel Detection Program, which was deployed to the Philippines to help combat Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated Fishing and improve the country’s maritime domain awareness.
The President said he conveyed the Philippines’ keen interest in the continuation of the DVD program in Philippine waters.
Marcos said he and Carney also welcomed key defense milestones between the two countries, including the signing of the Status of Visiting Forces Agreement in November 2025, which is due for ratification by the Philippine Senate.
He also cited the signing two weeks ago of the Mutual Logistics Support Arrangement and the Statement of Intent on Strengthening Defense Cooperation between the Philippines and Canada.
During the same event, Marcos announced the elevation of the Philippines-Canada bilateral relations to a Strategic Partnership.