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The Philippine Maritime ZOnes Law approved by the Philippine Congress will serve as the basis of the Updated New Standard Map of the Philippines, which specifies the rights and entitlements of Filipinos over the country’s maritime zones, particularly the features in the West Philippine Sea.
The congressional bicameral conference committee from both Philippine Senate and House of Representative, submitted the approved version of Senate Bill No. 2492 and House Bill No. 7819, to the Office of the President. Once signed by the President, the approved Maritime Zones Bill will be enacted formally into Law.
The approved bill, is a crucial step in putting the country’s archipelagic island in order, and in harmonizing domestic law with the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. Once enacted, the measure is expected to declare the country’s maritime zones based on the standards set by the Unclos and solidified by the 2016 Arbitral Ruling.
The Maritime Zones bill's primary objective is to declare the Philippines' maritime zones based on the standards set by UN convention on the Law of the Sea, clarify the geographical extent of the Philippine maritime domain, and at the same time, clarify the legal powers that the Philippines may exercise over.
The upcoming law for Philippine Maritime Zone, will be the basis for the updated version of the administrative map of the Philippines, which will specifically delineate the Kalayaan Island Group, Scarborough Shoal, Macclesfield Bank, West Philippine Sea, and Benham Rise Region.
The Philippines' 200-nautical miles exclusive economic zone, west of the archipelago will be called as West Philippine Sea. Beyond the 200 nautical miles, it is still officially referred to as the South China Sea. The Department of Foreign Affairs of the Philippines said, the Law would codify the status and regime of the waters inside the archipelagic baselines, and redefine the extent of Philippine territorial sea, including the contiguous zone.
The Maritime Zones Law, by delineating and underscoring the maritime zones and boundaries, can act as foundational policy that addresses various institutional roadblocks, advances the Philippines national interest in terms of the protection, maximization, and sustainability of the marine resources. Provides guidance on the rights and entitlements of the Philippines on different maritime zones, and can be utilized to maximize the goals of other relevant maritime laws of the Philippines.
The maritime zones of the Philippines comprise the internal waters, archipelagic waters, territorial sea, contiguous zone, exclusive economic zone and continental shelf. All territories of the Philippines shall generate their respective maritime zones in accordance with international law. Therefore, the Philippines exercises sovereignty and jurisdiction, over its archipelagic waters and the airspace over defined maritime zone. As well as its seabed and subsoil, in accordance with the Unclos and other existing laws and treaties.
It also highlights the country’s extended continental shelf in the Philippine Rise and West Palawan regions. The Philippines filed the claim on the West Palawan regions before the United Nations Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf in June. The 2016 arbitral ruling, which deemed China’s sweeping claim of almost all the South China Sea, declared as invalid, is among the documents that make up the backbone of the proposed measure.
This will be the first time that the term West Philippine Sea will be embodied, mentioned, and referred to in a law that will be passed by Philippine Congress. Once enacted, the law emphasis on Philippine sovereign rights and jurisdiction in the West Philippine Sea, particularly on exploration, exploitation, management of natural resources, and artificial islands and structures in the area.
The Philippines Maritime Zones Law, will be Manila’s formal response to counters the 10-dash-line of China's new standard national map, published August last year, which claims nearly the entire South China Sea as part of its territory. The area overlaps with the exclusive economic zones of the Philippines and those of Malaysia, Brunei, Vietnam, and Indonesia.
Chinese government has strongly opposed the bill and has lodged a solemn representation with the Philippine authorities. Experts warned that China's ability and determination to safeguard its sovereignty in the South China Sea should not be undervalued, and the Philippines will soon see more resolute, decisive, and powerful measures from China to defend its legal rights on the issue.
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