By Diann Calucin
A portion of Kalaw Avenue leading to Roxas Boulevard was temporarily closed on Monday, July 13, as progressive groups staged a protest outside the United States Embassy in Manila to mark the 10th anniversary of the landmark arbitral tribunal ruling on the West Philippine Sea.
The demonstrators gathered along Kalaw Avenue and attempted to march toward the US Embassy, prompting authorities to close the affected stretch of the road to ensure public safety and manage traffic.
Motorists were advised to take Finance Road or proceed to Padre Burgos Avenue as alternate routes while the protest was ongoing.
The 2016 arbitral ruling invalidated China’s sweeping claims over much of the South China Sea under its so-called nine-dash line and affirmed the Philippines’ sovereign rights in parts of the West Philippine Sea under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
Traffic authorities urged motorists to expect delays in the area as the demonstration continued.
