The Philippines joined 121 nations Friday in adopting a legally binding treaty that will prohibit nuclear weapons. The treaty is a crucial step towards the total and complete elimination of nuclear weapons which the Philippines has been pushing for since the early days of the UN.

“This treaty is the capstone of the global disarmament architecture. It strengthens the existing network of treaties and agreements already in place by reaffirming their collectively compelling logic of survival. We voted for its adoption because it is the right thing to do,” Philippine Permanent Representative to the United Nations Teodoro. Locsin Jr. said in the Philippine statement delivered after the conference adopted the treaty.

Locsin hailed the nuclear prohibition treaty as a step forward "in putting all nuclear weapons firmly on the path of complete, total and irreversible extinction", in his statement.

The treaty fills the legal gap in the existing disarmament architecture that has already delegitimized chemical and biological weapons but not nuclear weapons, considered the most deadly of all weapons of mass destruction.

Under the treaty, state parties are prohibited from, among others, developing, testing, producing, manufacturing, acquiring, possessing or stockpiling nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices.

They are also banned from using or threatening to use nuclear weapons and explosive devices.

The treaty also prescribes pathways to enable nuclear weapon states to accede in the future and pave the way for the complete elimination of nuclear weapons.

The Philippine delegation actively participated in the negotiations guided by the provision of the Philippine Constitution which prohibits nuclear weapons in Philippine territory and by its obligations under the Bangkok Treaty establishing a Southeast Asian Nuclear Weapons Free Zone.

The treaty prescribes pathways to enable nuclear weapon states to accede in the future.

It will open for signature on September 19 and will enter into force 90 days after the 50th instrument of ratification has been deposited. DMS