PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte on Monday, July 23, pledged that he would not relinquish the nation's 2016 arbitration victory against China, with regard to the unresolved disputes in the South China Sea (West Philippine Sea).

In his third State of the Nation Address, Duterte guaranteed that the Philippines, while it seeks to maintain friendly ties with China, would get back the Manila-claimed islands in the South China Sea that are being seized and currently occupied by Beijing.

"Our re-energized relations with China has also led to an unprecedented level of cooperation between our nations on the war against transnational crimes," Duterte said.

"Our improved relationswhip with the China, however, does not mean that we will waver in our commitment to defend our interest in the West Philippine Sea. This is why we engage China to this bilateral and multilateral platform such as the Asean-China and the Philippines-China bilateral consulation mechanism," he added.

China has laid claim to nearly 90 percent of the disputed South China Sea, despite competing claims with the Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia, Taiwan and Vietnam.

On July 12, 2016, the Permanent Court of Arbitration in the Hague, Netherlands ruled in favor of the Philippines' petition against China, stating that Beijing's sweeping maritime claim has no legal basis.

China, however, has refused to acknowledge the arbitral ruling, especially now that Duterte also repeatedly declines to assert the Philippines' victory.

Despite the Philippines' win before the arbitral court, China has ramped up its presence in the South China Sea as it stepped up its military build-up in its artificial islands in the contested waters.

China has continued its construction of military facilities on Fiery Cross (Kagitingan), Mischief (Panganiban), Subi (Zamora), Gaven (Burgos), Hughes (Kennan), Johnson (Mabini), and Cuarteron (Calderon) reefs, areas off the Palawan province that are also being claimed by the Philippines.

In May, China was reported to have installed its military weapons on Fiery Cross (Kagitingan), Subi (Zamora), and Mischief (Panganiban) reefs in the disputed Spratly Island.

For now, Duterte believed that the improved relations between the two nations yielded positive results.

"Opening lines of communication and amicably managing differences have led to positive development that include renewed access of the Filipino fishermen to the areas in dispute in the Philippines' West Philippine Sea," he said. (SunStar Philippines)