National Security Adviser Eduardo SL Oban Jr. on Sunday said the Philippines’ commitment to peace should never be mistaken for hesitation in defending its sovereignty and lawful maritime rights in the West Philippine Sea.
Speaking at the National Peace Walk in Manila, Oban said thousands of Filipinos walked together to affirm the country’s right to live peacefully, to benefit from its own waters, and to determine its future without coercion.
“Today, here in Manila and other parts of our country, Filipinos are walking together para sa karapatan ng ating bansa na mamuhay ng payapa, makinabang sa sarili nitong mga karagatan at magpasya sa sariling nitong kinabukasan ng malaya sa anumang pamumwersa,” Oban said.
The event was held to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the 2016 South China Sea Arbitral Award, which affirmed the Philippines’ maritime entitlements under international law.
Oban said the commemoration should compel Filipinos to consider what kind of country and maritime domain they would leave to future generations.
“Magmamana ba sila ng mga karagatan kung saan ang mangingisdang Pilipino ay pwedeng maghanap buhay ng walang takot at pangamba? Isang bansa kung saan nire-respeto ang mga karapatan nito. Isang rehyon kung saan batas sa halip na dahas ang nagpapasya sa karapatan ng mga bansa,” he said.
He stressed that the West Philippine Sea dispute is not merely a distant issue on a map or an abstract concept, as it directly affects food security, livelihoods and regional stability.
“Ito ay pagkain sa hapag ng bawat Pilipino. Kabuhayan para sa mga pamilyang Pilipino at kapayapaan at siguridad ng ating rehyon at ng buong mundo,” Oban said.
He described the West Philippine Sea as a national responsibility and said gatherings such as the National Peace Walk demonstrate that lasting peace must be anchored in international law and respect for the rights of nations.
“Hindi naghahangad ng anumang hidwaan ang Pilipinas. Ngunit ang ating paninindigan sa kapayapaan ay hindi dapat mapagkamalang kailanman bilang pag-aalinlangan sa ating mga karapatan,” he said.
“Pinipili natin ang kapayapaan ngunit hindi ang katahimikan. Pinipili natin ang pakikipagdayalogo ngunit hindi sa kapinsalaan ng prinsipyo. Pinipili natin ang kooperasyon ngunit hinding-hindi kapalit ng ating soberanya at mga ligal na karapatan sa karagatan,” he added.
As National Security Adviser and chairperson of the National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea, Oban assured the public that the government would continue strengthening interagency coordination and public awareness as part of a unified national response.
He said the Philippines would continue to protect its sovereignty, jurisdiction, and lawful maritime rights under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and the 2016 Arbitral Award.
Oban said the distance covered during the peace walk may eventually be forgotten, but its purpose should remain in the minds of Filipinos.
“Years from now, the distance we walk may be forgotten, but the reason we walked must not be. We walk together because the most enduring strength of the Philippines will always be found in a people who, when the future of their country is at stake, can still find the will to move in one direction,” he said.
“The Philippines chooses peace. The Philippines stands by the rule of law, and the Filipino people will walk together in defense of the future that is rightfully theirs,” he added.