Senate Majority Leader Francis Tolentino told the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) on Saturday, June 1, that the Philippine Maritime Zones Law, once enforced, would lead to the protection of fishing areas in the West Philippine Sea (WPS).

In a statement, Tolentino said that this would also benefit other fishing grounds worldwide.

Tolentino, the principal author of the Philippine Maritime Zones Law, told BFAR Spokesperson Nash Briguera, who raised concern over the destruction of the marine ecosystem in the WPS, that the protection of fishing resources would also be assured.

Briguera says that some 385,000 fishermen from four regions in the Philippines depend on the WPS' resources, which contribute 14 percent to the national fish production.

“Makakatulong po ang Philippine Maritime Zones Laws dahil sa batas hanggang doon sa contiguous zone, 24 nautical miles, allowed tayo na mag-enforce ng environmental laws, allowed tayo na mag-enforce ng ating fisheries law (The Philippine Maritime Zones Law will help because under it up until the contiguous zone, or 24 nautical miles, we're allowed to enforce our environmental laws, we're allowed to enforce our fisheries law),” Tolentino said.

The senator and BFAR spokesperson agreed that destroying the WPS' marine ecosystem and living organisms would impact other fishing grounds worldwide.

Meanwhile, in an interview on DWIZ, Tolentino that he's planning to head to Masinloc amid China's imposition of a four-month fishing ban in the South China Sea and the order allowing its Coast Guard to detain starting mid-June those who will illegally enter ​the waters under its jurisdiction for up to 60 days without trial.

"Ako naman may personal na paghahanda kung anong tugon na gagawin para maprotektahan ang ating mangingisda. Balak ko pumunta sa Masinloc sa Zambales at Sta Cruz kasi andun ang ating mga mangingisda (As for me, I have my own personal preparation as to what kind of response will be done to protect our fisherfolk. I'm planning to head to Zambales and Sta. Cruz because the fisherfolk are there)," he said.

He added that authorities such as the Philippine Coast Guard should be prepared in case China would be serious in its measures to detain foreigners, which according to Tolentino, should not be the case since it's not their territory.

Enforcing the PH Maritime Zones Law

Tolentino said the law must be submitted first to the United Nations (UN) Secretary General, who will issue a notification to all the signatories of the United Nations Convention of the Law of the Seas (UNCLOS) and inform them of the Philippine Maritime Zones Law, with such provisions, that must be honored.

However, the senator said that the Philippines Maritime Zones Law cannot be called “immediately recognizable”.

“But to the signatories of the UNCLOS, they must recognize the Philippine Maritime Zones Law,” Tolentino said.

He said the Philippine Maritime Zones Law implements the 2016 Arbitral Ruling, which invalidated China’s claim to almost all of the South China Sea and overwhelmingly favored the Philippines’ claim to its exclusive economic zone (EEZ) in the WPS.

Tolentino acknowledged that China will not recognize the Philippines Maritime Zones Law, but said the Asian giant had an obligation under international law.