ManilaTimes-Nov 8
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Friday signed two landmark measures defining the country’s maritime zones and archipelagic sea laws that were seen to further strengthen the nation’s rights over the West Philippine Sea.
In a ceremony in Malacañang, Marcos signed Republic Act (RA) 12064 or the Philippine Maritime Zones Act and RA 12065 or the Philippine Archipelagic Sea Lanes Act before legislators, Cabinet members, and other government officials.
RA 12064 is a declaration that the Philippines exercises sovereignty and jurisdiction over its internal waters, territorial sea archipelagic waters and the airspace over it as well as its seabed and subsoil in accordance with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and other existing laws and treaties. The new law covers the contiguous zone of the Philippines, which refers to the waters beyond and adjacent to its territorial sea up to 24 nautical miles from the baselines, as well as defines the exclusive economic zone, the continental shelf and the extended continental shelf that form part of Philippine territory. It also states that the Philippines has rights and privileges in the high seas and the international seabed as provided for in the UNCLOS and other existing laws and treaties. All maritime scientific research in the maritime zones of the Philippines shall redound to the benefit of the Filipino people, the new law read. The Philippine Archipelagic Sea Lanes Act complements the Philippine Maritime Zones Act in ensuring the protection of the country’s sovereignty and maritime domain by designating the routes and areas that shall be utilized and accessed by foreign military vessels and foreign registered aircraft for passage, pursuant to the UNCLOS and the Convention on International Civil Aviation or the “Chicago Convention.” A system of archipelagic sea lanes through which foreign vessels and aircraft shall exercise the right of archipelagic sea lanes passage, shall be established and designated by the President. Read more at:
