Gatchalian wants PH maritime zones defined, harmonized with UNCLOS

Amid continuing tensions in the West Philippine Sea, Senator Win Gatchalian has filed a bill that would clearly define the country's maritime zones, harmonizing domestic laws on maritime territory with the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

"The proposed measure seeks not only to update existing Philippine maritime laws but more importantly delineates and emphasizes our maritime zones and boundaries," Gatchalian said as he filed Senate Bill 2394, or The Philippine Maritime Zones Act.

He emphasized that by declaring the Philippines' maritime zone boundaries, the country will be fortifying the geographical extent of its maritime domain. This, in turn, will provide guidance for Filipinos as well as the country's armed forces and civilian law enforcers on the rights and entitlements of the country's different maritime zones and enable the country's maritime institutions to advance national interests, he said.

Gatchalian noted that when the country signed and ratified UNCLOS in 1982 and 1984, it was intended as a step towards strengthening its legal and institutional framework for maritime governance and claim for maritime zone allocations as an archipelagic state.

"However, it does not stop with the country's adoption of the UNCLOS as there is a need to harmonize existing Philippine laws with the UNCLOS and establish the legal regimes and geographical extent of these maritime zones in accordance with UNCLOS," he stressed.

As proposed, the country's maritime zones comprise the internal waters, archipelagic waters, territorial sea, contiguous zone, exclusive economic zone (EEZ), and continental shelf in accordance with international law. The bill defines the extent of the country's territorial sea at 12 nautical miles, contiguous zone at 24 nautical miles, and EEZ at 200 nautical miles.

To enhance the Philippines' national security and protect its economic and environmental interests, Gatchalian has also recently filed another bill, SB No. 2395 or the Philippine Archipelagic Sea Lanes Act.

The House of Representatives approved on final reading in May this year its version of a proposed measure creating the country's maritime zones.

The Philippines secured in 2016 a landmark arbitral ruling that China's claim that the so-called nine-dash line over the West Philippine Sea had no basis in law and without legal effect.

Gatchalian: Dapat matukoy ang maritime zones ng bansa nang naaayon sa UNCLOS

Sa gitna ng patuloy na tensyon sa West Philippine Sea, naghain si Senador Win Gatchalian ng panukalang batas na tutukoy sa mga maritime zone ng bansa na naaayon sa mga batas ng bansa ukol sa maritime territory nito sa 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

"Ang panukalang batas ay hindi lamang naglalayong i-update ang mga umiiral na batas pandagat ng Pilipinas, kundi magbibigay-diin ng ating maritime zones at boundaries," sabi ni Gatchalian nang ihain niya ang Senate Bill 2394, o The Philippine Maritime Zones Act.

Binigyang-diin niya na sa pamamagitan ng pagdedeklara ng maritime zone boundaries ng Pilipinas, palalakasin ng bansa ang geographical extent ng maritime domain nito. Ito ay gagabay sa mga Pilipino gayundin sa sandatahang lakas ng Pilipinas at civilian law enforcers pagdating sa mga karapatan ng iba't ibang maritime zone ng bansa at magbibigay-daan sa mga institusyong pandagat na isulong ang pambansang interes.

Sinabi ni Gatchalian na noong nilagdaan at niratipikahan ng bansa ang UNCLOS noong 1982 at 1984, ito ay naging isang hakbang tungo sa pagpapalakas ng legal at institutional framework para sa maritime governance at pagtatalaga ng maritime zone allocations ng bansa bilang isang archipelagic state.

"May pangangailangan na itugma ang mga umiiral na batas ng Pilipinas sa UNCLOS at magtatag ng geographical extent ng mga maritime zone na ito alinsunod sa UNCLOS," ayon sa senador.

Gaya ng iminungkahi, ang mga maritime zone ng bansa ay binubuo ng internal waters, archipelagic waters, territorial sea, contiguous zone, exclusive economic zone (EEZ), at continental shelf alinsunod sa international law. Tinutukoy ng panukalang batas ang lawak ng territorial sea ng bansa sa 12 nautical miles, contiguous zone sa 24 nautical miles, at EEZ sa 200 nautical miles.

Upang mapahusay ang pambansang seguridad ng Pilipinas at protektahan ang mga interes nito sa ekonomiya at kapaligiran, kamakailan ay naghain din si Gatchalian ng isa pang panukalang batas na naglalayong italaga ang mga archipelagic lane ng bansa o Senate Bill No. 2395 na tinawag na The Philippine Archipelagic Sea Lanes Act.

Inaprubahan na ng House of Representatives noong Mayo ang bersyon nito ng panukalang lumikha ng maritime zones ng bansa.

Nakuha ng Pilipinas noong 2016 ang isang landmark arbitral ruling na ang pag-aangkin ng China sa tinatawag na nine-dash line sa West Philippine Sea ay walang batayan sa batas at walang ligal na epekto.