President Marcos signed into law on Friday, Nov. 8, the Philippine Maritime Zones Act and the Philippine Archipelagic Sea Lanes Act—two measures that aim to protect the country's sovereignty and jurisdiction in its waters.

Republic Act (RA) No. 12064, or the Philippine Maritime Zones Act, declares the Philippine sovereignty and defines sovereign rights over the maximum extent of its maritime zones, such as internal waters, archipelagic waters, territorial sea, contiguous zones, exclusive economic zones (EEZ) and continental shelf in compliance with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), existing laws and treaties.

Meanwhile, RA No. 12065, or the Philippine Archipelagic Sea Lanes Act, ensures the protection of the country’s sovereignty and maritime domain by designating the routes and areas that shall be utilized and accessed by foreign military vessels and foreign-registered aircraft for passage, under the UNCLOS and the Chicago Convention.

In a speech following the ceremonial signing in Malacañan, the President believes these two new measures will assert the country's rights as an archipelagic state while fulfilling its obligations under international law.

"The passage of these two priority bills fully demonstrates our commitment as a responsible member of the international community and our advocacy to uphold rules-based international order," he said.

"In the same breath, these [laws] signal our resolve to protect our maritime resources, preserve our rich biodiversity, and ensure that our waters remain a source of life and livelihood for all Filipinos," he added.

Likewise, Marcos believes that the twin laws prove the Filipinos' commitment to ensuring the safety and prosperity of their maritime domain and the country's firm faith in its identity as a maritime nation.

Philippine Maritime Zones Act

According to the President, the Philippine Maritime Zones Act was essential in establishing the extent of the country's maritime jurisdiction and ensuring that its rights and duties as an archipelagic state are well-defined so Filipinos can rightfully enjoy the riches of their seas.

With clearly defined maritime zones, the Philippines could effectively enforce its relevant domestic laws and related international laws to protect and conserve its marine and fish resources, preserve its marine environment, and enhance maritime safety and security.

"Our people, especially our fisherfolk, should be able to pursue their livelihood free from uncertainty and harassment. We must be able to harness mineral and energy resources in our seabed," he said.

"By defining and asserting our maritime zones, we project to the international community that we are staunchly committed to nurturing, cultivating, and protecting our maritime domain," he added.

With this, Marcos called on all concerned government agencies and local governments to review their rules and regulations to ensure the effective implementation of these two new laws as they are expected to impact domestic laws and regulations at the national and local levels.

"I, therefore, call on all concerned government agencies and the local government to review rules and regulations against these new laws with a view of undertaking the necessary steps for their effective implementation," he said.

Philippine Archipelagic Sea Lanes Act

Meanwhile, Marcos said the Philippine Archipelagic Sea Lanes Act complements the country's maritime and aerial policies by establishing a route system in its archipelagic waters and the airspace above it.

Archipelagic Sea Lanes are a series of continuous axis lines that are not more than 25 nautical miles on either side, from the entry points of passage routes to the exit points. These are designated routes and passages in the archipelagic waters where all ships and aircraft have the right to traverse in a continuous, expeditious, and unobstructedly.

"These sea lanes will offer continuous, expeditious, and unobstructed transfer for vessels and air transport while obliging them to comply with navigational regulations and procedures as well as with the air rules of flight safety and protocols," he said.

The Archipelagic Sea Lanes Act establishes two east-west routes and one north-south route:

• Sea Lane I: Philippine Sea-Balintang Channel-West Philippine Sea
• Sea Lane II: Celebes Sea-Sibutu Passage-Sulu Sea-Cuyo East Pass-Mindoro Strait-West Philippine Sea
• Sea Lane III: Celebes Sea-Basilan Strait-Sulu Sea-Nasubata Channel-Balabac Strait-West Philippine Sea

This law likewise enhances the country's national security, especially with respect to foreign military vessels and aircraft.