00:02If you compare the lives of fishing families before the Chinese Coast Guard was present,
00:07our families used to live comfortably and had enough. Now we are struggling.
00:13It's been 10 years since an international tribunal handed the Philippines a landmark victory
00:18against China's claims in the South China Sea. But for fisher folk like Henrelito Empok,
00:24who fish in and near the waters of the disputed Scarborough Shoal, it has felt like an empty victory.
00:32In the end, we did not really feel that victory. We never truly felt the impact of that win.
00:42Suddenly, 10 years have passed since we won the arbitration case, yet no one has really felt its benefits.
00:48From our perspective, the harassment and pressure from the Chinese Coast Guard has only gotten worse.
00:57Oftentimes, as soon as you arrive near Scarborough Shoal,
01:01you are met by a Chinese Coast Guard vessel that tries to force you to leave.
01:07The Scarborough Shoal has been a traditional fishing ground for several countries,
01:12not just China or the Philippines. But China has continued to assert its control of the area.
01:18Despite the 2016 ruling, saying that its blockade of the shoal was a violation of
01:24and had no basis in international law.
01:28When we heard that the Philippines had won the arbitration case,
01:33most, if not all, fishermen across the West Philippine Sea
01:38felt a deep sense of joy and celebration.
01:49It has become difficult for our children to stay in school.
01:53And families of fishermen who fish in the West Philippine Sea
01:56often struggle to put enough food on the table
01:59because of the harassment and bullying by the Chinese Coast Guard
02:02against Filipino fishermen.
02:07Maritime law experts say tensions around the shoal have increased since the ruling
02:12because China has moved aggressively to prevent its enforcement.
02:16Beijing's actions have forced fisherfolk like Ronnie Drio to work closer to shore.
02:23I do not feel that victory because, until now,
02:28we are still not free to go to Scarborough Shoal.
02:31That is why it is painful for us Filipino fishermen.
02:35We cannot go there with a peace of mind and a sense of security.
02:40What we want is to be able to go there freely.
02:44Sovereignty over the shoal has not been established,
02:47with Beijing rejecting the decision.
02:49A decade after the ruling,
02:52many Filipino fishermen say
02:53its promise has yet to reach the waters
02:56where they earn their living.
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