DOHA 01 October 2023 — The Embassy of the Republic of the Philippines in the State of Qatar capped off its observance of the Maritime and Archipelagic Nation Awareness Month, or MANA Mo, by organizing lectures on the 2016 South China Sea Arbitration Award at the Philippine International School-Qatar (PISQ) and Philippine School Doha (PSD) on 27 and 28 September 2023, respectively.

Entitled “Seven years hence: The South China Sea Arbitration Award of 2016 and the primacy of the rules-based international order,” the lectures were delivered by Third Secretary and Vice Consul Jeffrey Batac.

The lectures provided an overview of the salient points of the Award, its legal implications, and the rationalization of the Arbitral Tribunal vis-á-vis the various issues raised by the parties.

Attended by more than 800 senior high school students, faculty members, and school administrators, the lectures allowed the participants to engage in discussions to gain a better understanding of the Philippines’ rights and maritime entitlements in the West Philippine Sea.

The lectures concluded with the Embassy’s presentation of high-quality and actual-sized prints of the Murillo Velarde Map to both schools.

Published in Manila in 1734, the Carta Hydrographica y Chorographica de las Yslas Filipinas, otherwise known as the Murillo Velarde Map, was prepared by Spanish Jesuit Friar Pedro Murillo Velarde together with two Filipinos, namely Francis Suarez, who drew the map, and Nicolas dela Cruz Bagay, who engraved it.

The Murillo Velarde Map is also regarded as the “Mother of All Philippine Maps,” having been used as the basis by cartographers for subsequent maps of the Philippines.

More recently, the Murillo Velarde Map was one of the hundreds of maps presented before the Arbitral Tribunal to assert the Philippines’ rights in the West Philippine Sea.

The two lectures were held as part of the Embassy’s observance of MANA Mo 2023.

Pursuant to Proclamation No. 316, the month of September of each year is designated as the Maritime and Archipelagic Nation Awareness Month. MANA Mo encourages all agencies and instrumentalities of the National Government, including the private sector, to implement programs and activities that seek to raise awareness and consciousness on maritime and archipelagic issues.

The MANA Mo theme for 2023 is “Kapuluan, Kabuluhan, Kaunlaran” (Archipelago, Significance, and Development). This theme highlights the essence of the Philippines’ unique identity as an archipelagic nation. It also emphasizes the crucial role that the archipelago and its marine resources play in the country’s journey toward sustainable development.

To further amplify this theme, the Department of Foreign Affairs has adopted the sub-theme: “Setting Sails Towards Sustainability: Ocean Science for Archipelagic Philippines.”

This sub-theme highlights the role of ocean science in supporting Philippine positions and national interest. It also reflects the Philippines’ commitment to the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development through sustainable practices and scientific advancement.

For more information, visit dohape.dfa.gov.ph, facebook.com/PHinQatar, or instagram.com/phinqatar.