President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. signed two significant pieces of legislation—the Philippine Maritime Zones Act and the Philippine Archipelagic Sea Lanes Act—into law during a ceremony at Malacañang Palace on Friday, November 8.
Republic Act (RA) No. 12064, or the Philippine Maritime Zones Act, asserts the country’s sovereignty over its maritime areas and defines its sovereign rights over a wide range of zones, including internal waters, archipelagic waters, territorial seas, contiguous zones, exclusive economic zones (EEZ), and the continental shelf. The law is in line with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and other existing laws and international treaties.
Meanwhile, RA No. 12065, or the Philippine Archipelagic Sea Lanes Act, complements the Philippine Maritime Zones Act by safeguarding the nation’s maritime domain. This law establishes designated sea lanes and air routes for foreign military vessels and foreign-registered aircraft to pass through Philippine waters. It ensures compliance with UNCLOS and the Convention on International Civil Aviation, further reinforcing the Philippines’ rights to regulate foreign access to its maritime territories.
These legislative measures come at a time when the Philippines is facing increasing maritime tensions in the region. They signal the government’s commitment to protecting the country’s sovereignty in both territorial and economic zones.
“With these pieces of legislation, we align our domestic laws with international law, specifically the UN Conventions on the Law of the Sea or UNCLOS to improve our capacity for governance and reinforce our maritime policies for economic development and for national security,” the President said.
