The Philippines remains practically helpless in stopping Chinese militarization activities on disputed islands in the South China Sea, but is committed to a peaceful approach to the dispute, Foreign Secretary Perfecto Yasay said on Friday. Speaking to the press at Orchard Hotel here, Yasay said that a UN-backed arbitral tribunal had already ruled against China’s expansionist moves in July this year, even as enforcing the decision remains a problem. China had earlier rejected the ruling and called it a “farce.” He said the Philippines “will move forward into the future insofar as pursuing the enforcement of the decision of the arbitral tribunal on the basis of their findings and conclusions.”

Quismundo, T., Yap, D., & Andrade, J. I. (2016, December 17). PH helpless vs China-Yasay. Philippine Daily Inquirer, p. A4.