Since 2016, the Stratbase Institute has worked to ensure that the Arbitral Award remains central to national and regional discourse, even during periods when advancing this cause was particularly challenging and few were willing to do so. 
 
As part of its continuing advocacy, the Institute convened yesterday a high-level forum entitled “A Decade of the Arbitral Award: Credible Deterrence in Defense of the West Philippine Sea” at The Peninsula Manila in Makati City. The forum brought together key stakeholders to exchange insights on the continuing importance of the Arbitral Award and the imperative of building credible deterrence in its defense.  
 
In his welcoming remarks, Stratbase Institute President Prof. Victor Andres “Dindo” Manhit underscored that while the Award gave the Philippines a strong legal foundation, it is collective resolve, credible deterrence, and whole-of-society collaboration suited to a multipolar world that will determine whether this victory remains alive, relevant, and enforceable over the next ten years.  
 
In his keynote address, Hon. Gilberto “Gibo” Teodoro Jr., Secretary of National Defense, stressed that the Arbitral Award is not merely an award for the Philippines, but an award for the world, as it affirms the peremptory nature of UNCLOS and safeguards it against revisionist attempts by selfish, tyrannical, and autocratic powers. He emphasized that the Award galvanized and solidified the archipelagic nature of the Philippines and motivated the country’s armed forces to shift from a single-theater focus to a multi-domain, multi-theater force. He also acknowledged that much work remains to be done and expressed his commitment to supporting Stratbase.  
 
Meanwhile, Armed Forces of the Philippines Chief of Staff General Romeo Brawner Jr. stressed that while the 2016 arbitral ruling affirmed the Philippines’ rights, those rights endure only when they are exercised. According to him, this is where the importance of credible deterrence comes in. He defined credible deterrence as the confidence that a nation can peacefully exercise its sovereign rights, built through capable forces, operational readiness, trusted partnerships, resilient institutions, and the national resolve to stand firm in defense of what is rightfully ours.