Manila, June 24 -- The National Maritime Council (NMC) has doubled down on the Philippines' defense of the 2016 South China Sea Arbitral Award, declaring that the landmark ruling remains legally binding and continues to guide the country's maritime policy nearly a decade after it was handed down.

Backing the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), the NMC said the Philippines' maritime rights are anchored on the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and reinforced by the 2016 award that invalidated key aspects of China's sweeping claims in the South China Sea.

"The Philippines' position remains clear and consistent. Our maritime rights and entitlements are grounded in international law, particularly the 1982 United Nati...