RECEIVED
paTe:_05.JUL 2018

15d
TIME, 2°
or ep

REGISTRATION UNIT

REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS.
First Regular Session

1118

House Bill No.

Introduced by MAGDALO Party-List Representative
HON. GARY C. ALEJANO

Explanatory Note

Article I of the 1987 Philippine Constitution declares that:
“The national territory comprises the Philippine archipelago, with all the islands and
waters embraced therein, and all other territories over which the Philippines has
sovereignty or jurisdiction, consisting of its terrestrial, fluvial and aerial domains,
including its territorial sea, the seabed, the subsoil, the insular shelves, and other
submarine areas. The waters around, between, and connecting the islands of the
archipelago, regardless of their breadth and dimensions, form part of the internal waters

of the Philippines."

Pursuant to the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), of which the

Philippines is a signatory and a party, our country and other coastal States has been recognized to

dictions over which sovereignty and

have the right to establish various maritime zones and j

appurtenant sovereign rights can be exercised. Given the premise, this bill seeks to have a

general declaration and definition of the maritime zones under the jurisdiction of the Philippines
This proposed legislation has the aim of preserving and protecting the country's maritime rights,
as it mentions in general terms the rights that the Philippines may exercise over its maritime
zones. Establishing the extent of the limits of the maritime zone of the Philippine archipelago

els of foreign states entering the Philippine

practically averts any unnecessary dispute with vess

maritime territory without our permission.

In view of the foregoing, approval of this measure is earnestly sought.

.

OG: 'C. ALEJANO

HOUSE WF REPRESENTATIVES

BILLS AND INDEX SERVICE



REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

No. 1 8

House

Introduced by MAGDALO Party-List Representative
HON. GARY C. ALEJANO

AN ACT

DEFINING THE MARITIME ZONES OF THE REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress

assembled:
1 SECTION 1. Short Title. is Act shall be known as the “Philippine
2 Maritime Zones Act”
3 SECTION 2. Maritime Zones, ~ The maritime zones of the Philippines shall
4 be comprised of its internal waters, archipelagic waters, territorial sea, contiguous
5 zone, exclusive economic zone (EEZ) and continental shelf. All territories of the
6 Philippines shall generate their respective maritime zones in accordance with
7 international law.
8 SECTION 3. Archipelagic Baselines. — Archipelagic baselines, as used in
9 this Act, shall refer to the baselines as defined under Republic Act No. 9522, entitled:
10 “An Act to Amend Certain Provisions of Republic Act No. 3046, as Amended by
11 Republic Act No. 5446, to Define the Archipelagic Baselines of the Philippines, and
12 for Other Purposes
2B SECTION 4, Internal Waters. ~ The internal waters of the Philippines shall
14 refer to the:
15 (a) Waters on the landward side of the archipelagic baselines not forming part
16 of archipelagic waters under Section 5 hereof and delimited in accordance with
17 Article 50 of the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS);
18 and/or
19 (b) Waters on the landward side of the baseline of the territorial sea of
20 territories outside of the archipelagic baselines.
2 ‘The Philippines shall exercise sovereignty over its internal waters and the
22 airspace over it as well as its seabed and subsoil in accordance with the UNCLOS and
23 other existing laws and treaties.


owe wn

10
1
12
13
14
45
16
7
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36

SECTION 5. Archipelagic Waters — The archipelagic waters of the
Philippines shall refer to the waters on the landward side of the archipelagic baselines
except as provided for under Section 4 hereof.

Within the archipelagic waters, closing lines for the delimitation of internal
waters shall be drawn pursuant to Article 50 of the UNCLOS and other existing laws
and treaties.

‘The Philippines shall exercise sovereignty over its internal waters and the
airspace over it as well as its seabed and subsoil in accordance with the UNCLOS and
other existing laws and treaties.

SECTION 6. Territorial Sea — The territorial sea of the Philippines shall
refer to the belt of sea measured twelve (12) nautical mile from the baselines of from
the low-water line, as the case may be.

The Philippines shall exercise 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,

SECTION 7. Contiguous Zone — The contiguous zone of the Philippines
shall refer to the waters beyond and adjacent to its territorial sea and up to the extent
of twenty-four (24) nautical miles from the baselines from which the breadth of the
territorial sea is measured,

The Philippines shall exercise sovereign rights over this zone in accordance
with the UNCLOS and other existing laws and treaties.

SECTION 8, Exclusive Economic Zone ~ The exclusive economic zone
(EEZ) of the Philippines shall refer to the waters beyond and adjacent to its territorial
sea and up to the extent of two hundred (200) nautical miles from the baselines from
which the breadth of the territorial sea is measured,

‘The Philippines shall exercise sovereign rights over this area including the
right to explore and exploit living and nonliving, organic or nonorganic resources in
accordance with the UNCLOS and other existing laws and treaties.

SECTION 9. Continental Shelf — The continental shelf of the Philippines
shall be comprised of the seabed and subsoil of the submarine areas that extend
beyond its territorial sca throughout the natural prolongation of its land territory to the
outer edge of the continental margin, or to a distance of two hundred (200) nautical
miles from the baselines from which the breadth of the territorial sea is measured,
where the outer edge of the continental margin does not extend up to that distance.

Continental shelves extending beyond two hundred (200) nautical miles from

the baselines shall be delineated in accordance with Article 76 of the UNCLOS.


caoyvaunawn

10
ote
12
13
14

The Philippines shall exercise sovereign rights over this area including the
right to explore and exploit living and nonliving, organic or nonorganic resourees in
accordance with the UNCLOS and other existing laws and treaties,

SECTION 10, Adherence to Existing Laws — Other rights of the Philippines
not stipulated in this Act shall be exercised in accordance with intermational law and
the law and regulations of the Philippines.

SECTION 11. Separability Clause ~ If any portion or provision of this Act is
declared unconstitutional or invalid, the order portions of provisions hereof not
affected thereby shall continue to be in full force and effect.

SECTION 12. Repealing Clause ~ All laws inconsistent with or contrary to
the provisions of this Act are deemed amended, modified or repealed accordingly.

SECTION 13. Effectivity ~ This act shall take effect fifteen (15) days
following its publication in the Official Gazette or in any two (2) newspapers of

general circulation.

Approved,