Philippines Urges International Community to Reaffirm UNCLOS as Constitution of the Oceans during 36th States Parties Conference to the Law of the Sea

Republic of the Philippines – Department of Foreign Affairs

NEW YORK 26 June 2026 — The Philippines actively participated in the 36th Meeting of States Parties to the Law of the Sea (SPLOS 36) held on 15 to 19 June 2026 at the UN Headquarters in New York, and urged the international community to reaffirm the central role of UNCLOS as the legal framework for all activities in the oceans and seas.

The Philippine delegation was led by H.E. Enrique A. Manalo, Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the United Nations in New York, and co-led by Assistant Secretary Emmanuel Donato K. Guzman of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA). They were joined by other key officials from the DFA and the Philippine Permanent Mission to the UN in New York.

In its National Statement delivered under Agenda Item No. 12 of SPLOS 36, the Philippines cited the 10th anniversary of the issuance of the 2016 South China Sea Arbitral Award, crediting it as a guidepost for States on essential maritime matters and concerns, such as the invalidity of excessive or historical claims, the proper assessment of the status of maritime features, the activities at sea deemed prejudicial to the rights of the relevant coastal State, and the obligations of States Parties for the protection and conservation of the marine environment.

In several interventions throughout SPLOS36, the Philippines likewise called for compliance with decisions and rulings duly rendered through the compulsory dispute settlement mechanisms under UNCLOS, such as the 2016 South China Sea Arbitral Award, and respect for decisions as well as respect for the advisory opinions that provide authoritative clarity to its provisions, such as the 2024 ITLOS Advisory Opinion on Case No. 31 on Climate Change and International Law. The Philippines emphasized that these judicial decisions and arbitral awards rendered under UNCLOS benefit all States—not just the parties to a dispute. By clarifying the content of international law, they provide guidance, strengthen legal certainty, and support the peaceful and predictable governance of the oceans.

Further, the Philippines expressed its continuing support for the implementing bodies of the UNCLOS, namely, the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS), the International Seabed Authority (ISA) and the Commission on the Outer Limits of the Continental Shelf (CLCS). These institutions play indispensable and complementary roles in maintaining the integrity of the legal order of the sea and ensuring the effective implementation of the Convention.

The Meeting of the States Parties to the Law of the Sea (SPLOS) is convened in accordance with the UNCLOS, and serves as an annual gathering of countries that have ratified the Convention. It serves as a platform for these state parties to discuss and make decisions on matters related to the implementation of UNCLOS, including administrative and financial matters of the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea, and elections of its members. END