evidence: MANILA, Philippines – Ten years ago, the Philippines and China were locked in a tense blockade at Scarborough Shoal, prompting Manila to file – and later win – its historic arbitration case against Beijing. But after years of neglecting the legal victory, paths for the Philippines to assert the ruling in the reef have narrowed, with some analysts warning of a crucial window closing as a new administration takes over in Manila. Scarborough Shoal, known as Panatag Shoal or Bajo de Masinloc in the Philippines, was declared a common fishing ground for Filipinos, Chinese, and Vietnamese by the United Nations-backed tribunal in 2016. The landmark case was hoped to pave the way for a lasting settlement of disputes in a vital waterway, although no agreement of the sort was had been made in succeeding years. [...] In recent years, the Philippines has hardened its position in the West Philippine Sea by increasing patrols near the shoal, with the Department of Foreign Affairs mounting a public pushback against China’s actions. These moves, though welcomed by its allies, were long overdue and still ways away from ensuring that Filipinos could access Scarborough Shoal.