[AUTHENTICITY CERTIFIED: Text
version below transcribed directly from audio]
Thank you all very much, Executive Secretary Luc Bersamin. (Please -- Please take your seats.)
Senate President -- Senate President Chiz Escudero and the members of the Senate; the House Speaker
Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez and members of the House of Representatives; the
honorable members of the Cabinet; our key stakeholders and development partners
in this effort that we are doing to safeguard the sovereignty of the seas of the
Republic of the Philippines; other distinguished guests; ladies and gentlemen,
good morning.
With these pieces of legislation, we align our domestic laws with international
law, specifically the
UN Convention on the Law of the Seas
[sic] or UNCLOS, to improve our
capacity for governance, and reinforce our maritime policies for economic
development and for national security.1
The first law is the Philippine Maritime Zones Act, which clearly defines the
extent of our maritime entitlements and fully declares their metes and bounds in
accordance with our Constitution and with the UNCLOS.
This is essential in establishing the extent of our maritime jurisdiction and to
ensure that our rights and duties as an
archipelagic state are well-defined in
order that all Filipinos can rightfully enjoy the riches of our seas.
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.
Maintaining the primacy of the UNCLOS and the
2016 Arbitral Award as our beacons
in the maritime domain, the Philippines reaffirms its sovereignty, sovereign
rights, and jurisdiction in our waters.
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.
The second law, the Philippine Archipelagic Sea Lanes Act, complements both our
maritime and aerial policies by establishing a route system in our country’s
archipelagic waters and, as well, the airspace above it.
The designated archipelagic sea lanes and air routes aim to facilitate safe
passage for foreign ships and aircraft without compromising our national
security nor diminishing our capacity for good environmental stewardship.
These sea lanes will offer continuous, expeditious, and unobstructed transit 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.
We are committed in implementing these ASLs [Archipelagic Sea Lanes] in faithful accordance with the
process found in UNCLOS, while firmly upholding the principles of reciprocity
and mutual respect amongst States.
The passage of these two priority bills fully demonstrate[s] our commitment as a
responsible member of the international community and our advocacy to uphold
rules-based international order.
In the same breath, these 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.
I convey my gratitude to our legislatures2 for their steadfast commitment to
safeguard the interests of the Filipino people. This includes the assertion of
our rights as an archipelagic state while fulfilling our obligations under
international law.
Bringing these bills forward took incredible commitment, as these have been
deliberated since at least the 15th Congress.
This long journey has been led by our maritime champions in the House of
Representatives and in the Senate, supported by our dedicated team of public
servants, technical and legal experts, academicians, and other stakeholders.
To you who have collaborated and leveraged your wisdom and expertise to ensure
the coherence and the soundness of these laws, I convey my appreciation and so
with the Filipino people.
It is expected that the clarity of the extent of the maritime zones and the
determination of the archipelagic sea lanes will impact domestic laws and
regulations at the national and at the local level.
I, therefore, call on all concerned government agencies and the local
governments to review rules and regulations against these new laws with a view
of undertaking the necessary steps for their effective implementation.
As part of the 14th Congress that passed the
Philippines Archipelagic Baselines
Law in 2009, this matter is close to my heart because these measures prove not
only our commitment to ensuring the safety and prosperity of our maritime
domain, but also our firm faith in our identity as a maritime nation. It is a
spirit that transcends Administrations. It is an intrinsic and undeniable part
of the national -- the Filipino -- character.
It is my fervent hope that with the help of these two laws, we will continue to
pursue and defend our maritime interests and navigate towards a brighter and
stronger Bagong Pilipinas [New Philippines].
Maraming salamat sa inyong lahat at magandang umaga sa inyo [Thank you
all very much and good morning to you all].
1For added legal context and opinion, see
this 2014 study by the U.S.
Department of State's Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental
and Scientific Affairs
2
Official government transcript reads
"legislators"
Original Text and Audio Source:
pcoo.gov.ph
Audio Note: AR-XE = American Rhetoric Extreme Enhancement
Page Created: 1/15/25
U.S. Copyright Status:
Texts and Audio = Public
domain per this notice on the Philippine Government website: "All content is in
the public domain unless otherwise stated."
Thank you all very much, Executive Secretary Luc Bersamin. (Please -- Please take your seats.)