Sen. Francis Tolentino highlighted how the passage of the Philippine Maritime Zones Act will improve the country’s maritime governance.
“The Maritime Zone law is not aimed at settling territorial issues. It will merely clarify the geographical extent of our country’s maritime zones and the applicable legal regimes in these zones as stated in UNCLOS (United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea) and under the 2016 arbitral ruling,” Tolentino stated during the interpellation of the Senate Bill no. 249 on Monday, Dec. 4.
He mentioned this amid the ongoing swarming of 135 Chinese boats at the Julian Felipe Reef, which is part of the Philippine Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).
“Lahat po ng mga zones na ito ay may kanya-kanyang kaakibat na rights, privileges, responsibilities ng ating bansa. At accountability naman po sa mga bansang nais mag-transgress (All the zones have its corresponding rights, privileges, responsibilities of our country and accountability for the countries who wish to transgress),” he said.
“Kung sino po iyong papasok sa territorial sea, even though exercising the right of innocent passage, dapat ay kontrolado natin— kontrolado ng [Philippine] Coast Guard, kontrolado ng PNP Maritime Command, at Philippine Navy (Whoever will enter the territorial sea, even though exercising the right of innocent passage, should be controlled by us -- controlled by the [Philippine] Coast Guard, controlled by the PNP Maritime Command, and the Philippine Navy),” he added.
Tolentino, however, said that while the bill will not immediately address such acts, “it will clarify to the entire international community that it is part of our EEZ because the metes and bounds will be clarified.”
“Hindi po sa pagpapasa ng batas na ito, maitataboy natin agad ang 135 boats na nagkumpol-kumpol ngayon, na nagsa-swarming doon sa Julian Felipe Reef. Hindi po ito overnight na kapag naipasa natin (The passage of this bill will not remove the 135 boats that are swarming Juan Felipe Reef. This will not happen overnight),” the Senate Committee on Maritime and Admiralty Zones Chairman remarked.
The senator also underscored how the Maritime Zones Act will clarify the metes and bounds of the Philippine maritime, contiguous, and EEZs in the international community to establish jurisdiction that the country can enforce in addressing foreign transgressors.
Tolentino also mentioned how legal clarity is an essential foundation for Maritime governance and law enforcement. and that the Maritime Zones Law is a long-awaited first step in laying this foundation in order to more effectively pursue national security interests, strategy, and policy in the country's sea areas.