PH Highlights Rules-Based Order in Lisbon Lecture on South China Sea Arbitral Award
Ambassador Paul Raymund P. Cortes and Third Secretary and Vice Consul Lou Bryan Macabodbod during the courtesy call to President Ricardo Ramos Pinto (far right) with Executive Director Jorge Martins (left) and Professor Andrea Valente (middle).
Lisbon, 13 May 2026 — As part of a lecture series marking the 10th anniversary of the 2016 South China Sea Arbitral Award, the Philippine Embassy in Portugal conducted a special lecture at the Instituto Superior de Ciências Sociais e Políticas of the University of Lisbon. The session, delivered to undergraduate and master’s students of Political Science, International Relations, and Asian Studies, focused on the South China Sea dispute, UNCLOS, and the significance of the arbitral ruling for international order and regional security.
Prior to the lecture, Philippine Ambassador to Portugal Paul Raymund P. Cortes and Embassy representatives paid a courtesy call on the leadership of the Instituto Superior de Ciências Sociais e Políticas, including President Ricardo Ramos Pinto and Executive Director Jorge Martins. Discussions focused on opportunities to strengthen academic exchanges and deepen Philippine-Portuguese cooperation in higher education.
Third Secretary and Vice Consul Lou Bryan R. Macabodbod delivered a lecture on the geopolitical significance of the South China Sea, the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), and the legal and diplomatic implications of the 2016 arbitral ruling between the Philippines and China. He explained the concepts of maritime zones, the classification of maritime features under UNCLOS, while emphasizing the Philippines’ longstanding commitment to the peaceful and rules-based resolution of disputes in accordance with international law.
Ambassador Cortes likewise addressed the students and faculty, highlighting the broader diplomatic, historical, and strategic dimensions of Philippine foreign policy. He underscored the importance of balancing national sovereignty, economic development, and the welfare of overseas Filipinos while maintaining constructive relations with regional and global partners.
The lecture concluded with an extensive open forum, during which students engaged the speakers on a range of issues, including the ongoing ASEAN–China Code of Conduct negotiations, the continued applicability of maritime entitlements under UNCLOS amid climate change and sea-level rise, Philippine–European Union relations, and the historical ties between the Philippines and Portugal.
The lecture, held for the classes of Professor Andrea Valente, formed part of the Embassy’s continuing public diplomacy and academic outreach initiatives promoting greater understanding of Philippine perspectives on maritime governance, international law, and regional security issues in the Indo-Pacific. END
Ambassador Paul Raymund P. Cortes and Third Secretary and Vice Consul Lou Bryan R. Macabodbod with Professor Andrea Valente and the students at the conclusion of the lecture.
Ambassador Paul Raymund P. Cortes during his opening remarks to the class.
Third Secretary and Vice Consul Lou Bryan Macabodbod at the start of his lecture on the South China Sea Dispute, UNCLOS and the 2016 Arbitral Award.
