Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. ____ 
Introduced by HON. LUIS RAYMUND “LRAY” F. VILLAFUERTE, JR.,  
HON. MIGUEL LUIS R. VILLAFUERTE, HON. TSUYOSHI ANTHONY G. 
HORIBATA AND HON. NICOLAS ENCISO VIII 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
Under UNCLOS, an archipelagic State has sovereignty over its archipelagic waters 
and the airspace above it, as well as its seabed and subsoil. The archipelagic State 
may designate sea lanes and air routes suitable for the continuous and expeditious 
passage of ships and aircraft through or over its archipelagic waters and the adjacent 
territorial sea.  
R.A. 9255 amended the provision of R.A. 3046 as amended by R.A. NO. 5446, and 
effectively delineated the archipelagic baselines of the Philippines. However, it failed 
to provide and establish the archipelagic sea lanes of the Philippines as espoused in 
Articles 53 of the UNCLOS. 
With its waters linked to important and busy navigational routes, it is imperative that 
the Philippines designate its archipelagic sea lanes in consideration of its own security, 
economic, and environmental interests.  
This measure seeks to establish archipelagic sea lanes in the Philippines’s 
archipelagic waters, prescribing the rights and obligations of foreign ships and aircraft 
exercising the right of archipelagic sea lanes passage through established 
archipelagic sea lanes.  
In view of the foregoing, the immediate passage of this bill is most earnestly sought. 
LUIS RAYMUND “LRAY” F. VILLAFUERTE, JR. 
 MIGUEL LUIS R. VILLAFUERTE 
TSUYOSHI ANTHONY G. HORIBATA 
NICOLAS ENCISO VIII 
July 4, 2022
2:25 pm
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Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. ____ 
Introduced by HON. LUIS RAYMUND “LRAY” F. VILLAFUERTE, JR.,  
HON. MIGUEL LUIS R. VILLAFUERTE, HON. TSUYOSHI ANTHONY G. 
HORIBATA AND HON. NICOLAS ENCISO VIII 
AN ACT  
ESTABLISHING THE ARCHIPELAGIC SEA LANES IN THE PHILIPPINE 
ARCHIPELAGIC WATERS, PRESCRIBING THE RIGHTS AND 
OBLIGATIONS OF FOREIGN SHIPS AND AIRCRAFT EXERCISING THE 
RIGHT OF ARCHIPELAGIC SEA LANES PASSAGE 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
CHAPTER I 
GENERAL PROVISIONS 
SECTION 1. Short Title. – This Act shall be known as the “Philippine 
Archipelagic Sea Lanes Act”. 
SEC. 2. State Policy. – The State in the exercise of its duty to protect its 
maritime domain shall implement and adhere to the provisions of the 1982 United 
Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and relevant international 
conventions to which the Philippines is a party. 
It shall be the policy of the State to minimize the routes and areas that shall be 
utilized and accessed by foreign vessels and foreign registered aircraft for the exercise 
of archipelagic sea lanes passage. 
SEC. 3. Definition of Terms. – As used in this Act. 
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(a) Archipelagic sea lane refers to the designated sea lanes in the archipelagic 
waters and air routes thereabove through which foreign vessels or aircraft may 
exercise the right of archipelagic sea lanes passage. 
(b) Archipelagic sea lane passage refers to the exercise of the rights of 
navigation and overflight in the normal mode solely for the purpose of continuous, 
expeditious, and unobstructed transit between one part of the high seas or an 
exclusive economic zone (EEZ) and another part of the high seas or an EEZ. 
(c) Archipelagic waters refer to the waters on the landward side of the 
archipelagic baselines except those delineated as internal waters. 
Within the archipelagic waters, closing lines for the delineation of internal 
waters shall be drawn pursuant to Article 50 of the UNCLOS and other existing laws 
and treaties. 
The Philippines exercises sovereignty and jurisdiction over its archipelagic 
waters and the airspace over it as well as its seabed and subsoil in accordance with 
the UNCLOS and other existing laws and treaties. 
(d) Associated protective measure refers to a measure that a coastal State may 
adopt to regulate international maritime activities for the protection of the area at risk. 
(e) Hydrographic survey refers to the determination of data relating to bodies of 
water. A hydrographic survey may consist of the determination of one or several of the 
following classes of data: depth of water; configuration and nature of the bottom; 
directions and force of currents; heights and times of tides and water stages; and 
location of topographic features and fixed objects for survey and navigation purposes. 
(f) Oceanographic survey refers to a study or examination of any physical, 
chemical, biological, geological or geophysical condition in the ocean, or any part of it. 
(g) Right of innocent passage refers to the right of continuous and expeditious 
passage of foreign vessels through the territorial sea that is not prejudicial to the 
peace, good order or security of the coastal State. Passage includes stopping and 
anchoring, but only insofar as the same are incidental to ordinary navigation or are 
rendered necessary by force majeure or distress or for the purpose of rendering 
assistance to persons, ships or aircraft in danger or in distress. Passage shall be 
considered as prejudicial to the peace, good order or security of the coastal State if in 
the territorial sea, the vessel engages in any of the activities enumerated in Article 19 
of the UNCLOS. This right of innocent passage applies to archipelagic waters outside 
of the archipelagic sea lanes, as provided for in Article 52 of the UNCLOS. 


 
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(h) Territorial sea refers to the adjacent belt of sea measured twelve (12) 
nautical miles from the baselines of the territorial sea as determined in accordance 
with the provisions of Part II or Part IV of the UNCLOS as appropriate. 
The Philippines exercises sovereignty over its territorial sea and the airspace 
over it as well as its seabed and subsoil in accordance with the UNCLOS and other 
existing laws and treaties. 
 
CHAPTER II 
DESIGNATION OF THE ARCHIPELAGIC SEA LANES AND THEIR 
COORDINATES FOR THE RIGHT OF ARCHIPELAGIC SEA LANES PASSAGE 
AND INSTITUTION OF PROTECTIVE MEASURES THERETO 
 
SEC. 4. Designation of Archipelagic Sea Lanes and Their Coordinates. – 
The System of the Archipelagic Sea Lanes in the Philippine Archipelagic Waters 
shall be defined by axis lines connecting the coordinates below: 
 
 
(a) SEA LANE I: PHILIPPINE SEA – BALINTANG CHANNEL – WEST 
PHILIPPINE SEA 
(I-1) 20° 06'.67 N; 122° 12'.90 E 
(I-2) 20° 06'.67 N; 121° 28'.73 E 
 
(b) SEA LANE II: WEST PHILIPPINE SEA – MINDORO STRAIT – 
CUYO EAST PASS – SULU SEA – SIBUTU PASSAGE – CELEBES 
SEA 
(II-1) 13° 05'.77 N; 119° 52'.32 E 
(II-2) 11° 09'.20 N; 121° 27'.37 E 
(II-3) 10° 53'.88 N; 121° 27'.37 E 
(II-4) 10° 00'.77 N; 120° 55'.85 E 
(II-5) 08° 53'.60 N; 120° 55'.78 E 
(II-6) 05° 15'.72 N; 119° 37'.31 E 
(II-7) 04° 33'.60 N; 119° 37'.48 E 
 
(c) SEA LANE III: CELEBES SEA – BASILAN STRAIT – SULU SEA – 
NASUBATA CHANNEL – BALABAC STRAIT – WEST PHILIPPINE 
SEA 


 
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(III-1) 06° 18'.97 N; 122° 50'.70 E 
(III-2) 06° 47'.12 N; 122° 15'.92 E 
(III-3) 06° 49'.62 N; 121° 56'.82 E 
(III-4) 06° 59'.45 N; 121° 42'.25 E 
(III-5) 08° 07'.63 N; 118° 46'.97 E 
(III-6) 08° 07'.63 N; 118° 19'.65 E 
(III-7) 07° 57'.18 N; 117° 10'.20 E 
(III-8) 07° 39'.37 N; 117° 02'.40 E 
The map displaying the axes and connecting points as detailed in Section 4 
hereof is attached as Annex I. 
 
SEC. 5. Protective Measures. – All rules and regulations relating to the 
management and security of the archipelagic sea lanes and adjacent archipelagic 
waters shall be promulgated by the President, with the assistance of the relevant 
national agencies, through an appropriate executive issuance. Such issuances shall 
include the protective measures stipulated in international agreements, conventions, 
and regulations such as those established by the International Maritime Organization, 
as well as national measures enacted in accordance with existing laws and 
regulations. 
CHAPTER III 
RIGHTS AND OBLIGATIONS OF FOREIGN SHIPS AND AIRCRAFT WHEN 
EXERCISING THE RIGHT OF ARCHIPELAGIC SEA LANES PASSAGE 
SEC. 6. Right of Archipelagic Sea Lanes Passage. – Foreign ships and 
aircraft may exercise the right of archipelagic sea lanes passage in accordance with 
the provisions of the UNCLOS in order to navigate or fly from one part of the high seas 
or an EEZ to another part of the high seas or an EEZ through or over the Philippine 
archipelagic waters and its adjacent territorial sea. Such sea lanes shall be defined by 
a series of continuous axis lines from the entry points of passage routes to the exit 
points. 
The exercise of the right of archipelagic sea lanes passage shall be through a 
sea lane, or through the air route above a sea lane, which has been determined and 
designated to be an archipelagic sea lane that may be used for exercising the right of 
archipelagic sea lanes passage under Section 4 hereof. 


 
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SEC. 7. Obligations in the Exercise of the Right of Archipelagic Sea Lanes 
Passage. 
– In the exercise of the right of archipelagic sea lanes passage, the following 
obligations must be observed: 
(a) Foreign ships and aircraft shall pass through or above the archipelagic sea 
lane as quickly as possible without delay and in the normal mode solely for the purpose 
of continuous, expeditious and unobstructed transit; 
(b) Foreign ships and aircraft shall not deviate more than twenty-five (25) 
nautical miles to either side of the axis line of the sea lane: Provided, Thatsuch ships 
and aircraft shall not navigate closer to the coast more than ten percent (10%) of the 
distance between the nearest points on islands bordering the sea lane; 
(c) Foreign ships and aircraft shall refrain from any threat or use of force against 
the sovereignty, territorial integrity, or political independence of the Republic of the 
Philippines, or in any other manner in violation of the principles of international law 
embodied in the Charter of the United Nations; 
(d) Foreign ships and aircraft, including military aircraft and warships, shall 
refrain from any war game exercises or exercises using any type of weapons, 
especially involving the use of ordnance; 
(e) Foreign aircraft shall not land in Philippine territory except when rendered 
necessary by force majeure or distress; 
(f) Foreign ships shall refrain from stopping, dropping anchor or loitering, except 
when rendered necessary by force majeure or distress or in order to render assistance 
to a person or persons or a ship or ships in danger or in distress; 
(g) Foreign ships or aircraft shall refrain from making covert transmissions, 
interfering with telecommunications systems, and communicating directly with an 
unauthorized person or group of persons in Philippine territory; and 
(h) Foreign ships or aircraft exercising the right of archipelagic sea lanes 
passage shall refrain from any activity other than those incident to their normal modes 
of continuous and expeditious transit, unless rendered necessary by force majeure or 
by distress. 
 
SEC. 8. Prohibition Against the Conduct of Research and Survey 
Activities. – Foreign ships or aircraft, including marine scientific research or survey 
ships or aircraft, while exercising the right of archipelagic sea lanes passage, shall not 


 
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conduct oceanographic or hydrographic surveys or any other research or survey 
activities, whether with the use of detection equipment or sample gathering equipment, 
unless they have obtained prior permission to do so from the appropriate agency of 
the Government of the Republic of the Philippines. 
 
SEC. 9. Prohibition of Fishing, Marine Bioprospecting, Loading, 
Unloading of Persons, Goods or Currency. – 
(a) Foreign ships, including fishing vessels, while exercising the right of 
archipelagic sea lanes passage, shall not conduct any fishing operation, marine 
bioprospecting or exploitation of marine resources of the Philippines. 
(b) Foreign fishing vessels, while exercising the right of archipelagic sea lanes 
passage, besides fulfilling their obligations under paragraph (a) hereof, shall stow all 
fishing equipment within the hold. 
(c) Foreign ships and aircraft, while exercising the right of archipelagic sea 
lanes passage, shall not load to a ship or unload from a ship persons, goods or 
currency in a manner that contravenes the laws and regulations concerning customs, 
immigration, fiscal matters and sanitary rules, except when rendered necessary by 
force majeure or by distress. 
 
SEC. 10. Compliance with Navigational Regulations, Procedures and 
Traffic Scheme. – While exercising the right of archipelagic sea lanes passage, 
foreign ships shall: 
(a) Comply with the generally accepted international regulations, procedures 
and practices concerning safety of navigation, including regulations relating to the 
prevention of collisions at sea; 
(b) Comply with the provisions of the traffic separation scheme where a traffic 
separation scheme has been established for the regulation of navigation; 
(c) Sail at a safe distance so as not to cause disturbance or damage to 
navigational facilities or submarine cables or pipes; and 
(d) Observe prohibited zones as determined by concerned agencies. 
 
SEC. 11. Obligations of Foreign Civil Aircraft. – 
(a) Foreign civil aircraft exercising the right of archipelagic sea lanes passage 
shall: 


 
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(1) Observe the Rules of the Air established by the International Civil 
Aviation Organization (ICAO); and 
 
(2) Monitor the radio frequency assigned by the competent 
internationally designated air traffic control authority or the appropriate international 
distress radio frequency at all times. 
(b) Foreign State aircraft exercising the right of archipelagic sea lanes passage 
shall: 
 
(1) Respect the regulations concerning flight safety as detailed in Section 
11 (a) hereof and at all times operate with due regard for the safety of navigation; and 
 
(2) Fulfill their obligations as detailed in Section 11 (a)(2) hereof. 
 
SEC. 12. Prevention of Marine Pollution. – 
(a) Foreign ships exercising the right of archipelagic sea lanes passage shall 
not expel oil, oily wastes, solid wastes, other noxious substances, or ballast water into 
the marine environment, or conduct other activities in contravention of international 
regulations and standards for the prevention, reduction and control of marine pollution 
that originates from ships. 
(b) Foreign ships, while exercising the right of archipelagic sea lanes passage, 
shall not dump waste in Philippine waters. 
 
SEC. 13. Liability for Damage. – 
(a) The person or legal body responsible for the operation or cargo of foreign 
commercial ships or aircraft or foreign government ships or aircraft operated for 
commercial purposes shall be liable for any loss or damage suffered by the Philippines 
or any third party as a result of noncompliance with any of the provisions of this Act 
while exercising the right of archipelagic sea lanes passage. 
(b) The flag State shall bear international responsibility for any loss or damage 
suffered by the Philippines or any third party as a result of noncompliance with any of 
the provisions of this Act by a foreign warship or aircraft or other government ship 
operated for noncommercial purposes while exercising the right of archipelagic sea 
lanes passage. 
 
 
 


 
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SEC. 14. Penalties. – 
Non-compliance by foreign civilian ships and aircraft with the pertinent 
provisions of this Act which constitutes a violation of existing fisheries, environmental, 
customs, fiscal, immigration, sanitary and other pertinent laws shall be punishable by 
the provisions thereof. 
If the non-compliance does not constitute a violation of existing laws, the same 
shall be punishable by imprisonment of six (6) months and one (1) day to two (2) years 
and two (2) months or a fine of One million two hundred thousand US dollars 
(US$1,200,000.00) or its equivalent in Philippine currency, or both, such imprisonment 
and fine at the discretion of the court. 
The penalty shall be imposed upon the master of the vessel or the captain of 
the aircraft or the owner or operator of the vessel or aircraft, as the case may be. If the 
owner or operator is a corporation, partnership or any other juridical person, the 
penalty shall be imposed upon the president or head thereof. 
 
CHAPTER IV 
FINAL PROVISIONS 
SEC. 15. Right of Innocent Passage. – The provisions of this Act shall not 
diminish the rights of foreign ships to exercise the right of innocent passage in the 
archipelagic waters outside of the archipelagic sea lanes. 
 
SEC. 16. Separability Clause. – If any portion or provision of this Act is 
declared unconstitutional or invalid, the other portions or provisions hereof which are 
not affected thereby shall continue to be in full force and effect. 
 
SEC. 17. Repealing Clause. –All laws inconsistent with or contrary to the 
provisions of this Act are deemed amended, modified or repealed accordingly. 
 
SEC. 18. Effectivity. – This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation. 
 
Approved,