Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi today said the Department of Foreign Affairs together with all other government agencies concerned will thoroughly study the verdict of the Permanent Court of Arbitration under Annex VII of the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) on the arbitration proceedings initiated by the Philippines with regard to maritime entitlements in the South China Sea.

“The DFA will be assessing the over-all implications of the verdict in coordination with other agencies of the government among them the Department of Energy," Cusi said.

“The Philippines reiterates its abiding commitment to pursue a peaceful resolution of disputes in the South China Sea and promote peace and stability in the region through diplomacy and consultations,” Cusi concluded.

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