MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Thursday highlighted the importance of the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) in his administration’s foreign policy.
The chief executive issued the remarks during the courtesy visit of PCA Secretary-General Dr. Marcin Czepelak in Malacañang.
“I’m very happy that you visited us this year because we, of course, in the Philippines right now, the Permanent Court of Arbitration is an important part of our foreign policy, considering all the challenges that we are facing right now,” Marcos said.
”Our continuing adherence to international law the Permanent Court of Administration is on, we can say that that is an argument that we can make and have made in several instances. It’s very gratifying for me to welcome you to Manila,” he added.
Czepelak, in response, expressed gratitude to the President for finding time to meet him.
This is Czepelak’s first visit to the Philippines, coinciding with the PCA’s 125th anniversary.
His Manila stop also comes on the heels of the country’s rising tensions with China in relation to the West Philippine Sea.
It was in 2016 when the PCA ruled in favor of the Philippines and junked China’s expansive nine-dash line claim in the South China Sea which encroaches on some Philippine maritime territories.
This ruling, however, was ignored and is continuously being ignored by China, insisting that the PCA decision is “illegal and invalid.”
