JAN.

3, 2012 DATE

NR # 2637B
REF. NO.

House approves establishment of archipelagic sea lanes

The House of Representatives has approved on second reading a measure establishing archipelagic sea lanes in the Philippine archipelagic waters. House Bill 4153, to be known as the The Philippine Archipelagic Sea Lanes Act, seeks to provide for the coordinates designating the sea lanes and air routes suitable for the continuous and expeditious passage of foreign ships and aircraft through or over its archipelagic waters and the adjacent territorial sea. Speaker Feliciano Belmonte, Jr., principal author of the measure, said the bill prescribes the rights and obligations of foreign ships and aircraft exercising the right of archipelagic sea lanes passage through the established Philippine archipelagic sea lanes and providing for the associated protective measures. Under the measure to be known as The Philippine Archipelagic Sea Lanes Act, foreign ships and aircraft may exercise the right of archipelagic sea lanes passage in accordance with the provisions of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) in order to sail or fly from one part of the high seas or an exclusive economic zone to another part of the high seas or an exclusive economic zone through or over the Philippine territorial sea and its archipelagic waters. Foreign ships and aircraft exercising the right of archipelagic sea lanes passage shall pass through or above the archipelagic sea lane as quickly as possible in the normal mode solely for the purpose of continuous, expeditious and unobstructed transit. They shall refrain from any threat or use of force against the sovereignty, territorial integrity or political independence of the Philippines, or in any other manner in violation of the principles of international law embodied in the Charter of the United Nations. The bill prohibits foreign military aircraft and warships from engaging in any war game exercises or exercises using any type of weapons and using ammunition. Also, foreign ships shall refrain from stopping, dropping anchor or loitering, with the exception of a situation of force majeure or in the event of a disaster or in order to render assistance to a person or persons or a ship or ships experiencing a disaster. Likewise, foreign ships shall refrain from making covert transmissions, interfering with telecommunications systems and communicating directly with an unauthorized person or group of persons in Philippine territory. The measure also prohibits foreign ships or aircraft from conducting oceanographic

JAN. 3, 2012 DATE

NR # 2637B
REF. NO.

research or hydrographic surveys, whether with the use of detection equipment or sample gathering equipment, unless they have obtained permission to do so. Foreign ships, including fishing ships shall refrain from conducting fishing operations, expelling oil, oily wastes or other noxious substances into the marine environment or conducting other activities in contravention of international regulations and standards for the prevention, reduction and control of marine pollution that originates from ships and from dumping waste in Philippine waters. Other authors of the measure are Reps. Neptali Gonzales II (Lone District, Mandaluyong City), Tomas Apacible (1st District, Batangas), Jose Carlos Cari (5th District, Leyte), Al Francis Bichara (2nd District, Albay), Antonio Rafael Del Rosario (1st District, Capiz), Ma. Georgina De Venecia (4th District, Pangasinan), Rodolfo Antonino (4th District, Nueva Ecija), Seth Frederick Jalosjos (1st District, Zamboanga del Norte), Maria Evita Arago (3rd District, Laguna), Eduardo Gullas (1st District, Cebu), Rodolfo Biazon (Lone District, Muntinlupa City), Hermilando Mandanas (2nd District, Batangas), Jocelyn Limkaichong (1st District, Negros Oriental), Herminia Roman (1st District, Bataan), Linabelle Ruth Villarica (4th District, Bulacan), Pangalian Balindong (2nd District, Lanao del Sur), Nelson Collantes (3rd District, Batangas), Florencio Garay (2nd District, Surigao del Sur), Marlyn Primicias-Agabas (6th District, Pangasinan), Nur Jaafar (Lone District, Tawi-Tawi), Josephine Veronique Lacson-Noel (Lone District, Malabon City), George Arnaiz (2nd District, Negros Oriental), Enrique M. Cojuangco (1st District, Tarlac), Mercedes Alvarez (6th District, Negros Occidental), Giorgidi Aggabao (4th District, Isabela), Pablo John Garcia (3rd District, Cebu), Gabriel Quisumbing (6th District, Cebu), Antonio Ferrer (6th District, Cavite), Godofredo Arquiza (Party-list, Senior Citizens), Erico Basilio Fabian (2nd District, Zamboanga City), Imelda Marcos (2nd District, Ilocos Norte), Anna York Bondoc (4th District, Pampanga), Walden Bello (Party-list, Akbayan), Ferjenel Biron (4th District, Iloilo), Jose Zubiri III (3rd District, Bukidnon), Roman Romulo (Lone District, Pasig City), Rodel Batocabe (Party-list, Ako Bicol), Sherwin Tugna (Party-list, CIBAC), Julieta Cortuna (Party-list, A TEACHER), Mark Villar (Lone District, Las Pias City), Luis Villafuerte (3rd District, Camarines Sur), Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo (2nd District, Pampanga), Victor Ortega (1st District, La Union), Ignacio Arroyo (5th District, Negros Occidental), Imelda Dimaporo (1st District, Lanao del Norte), Arthur Yap (3rd District, Bohol), Leopoldo Bataoil (2nd District, Bataoil), Carlos Padilla (Lone District, Nueva Vizcaya), Roilo Golez (2nd District, Paraaque City), Rufus Rodriguez (2nd District, Cagayan de Oro City) and Elpidio Barzaga (Lone District, City of Dasmarias). (30) lvc