The Senate on Tuesday approved on third and final reading Senate Bill 2665, or the Archipelagic Sea Lanes bill, a landmark measure that aims to strengthen the country’s territorial integrity and national security.

With 22 affirmative votes, zero negative votes, and no abstentions, the upper chamber unanimously approved the measure designating Archipelagic Sea Lanes (ASL) throughout the country.

According to Senate Majority Leader Francis Tolentino, the principal author and sponsor of the bill, the measure is set to “solidify” the country’s maritime domain.

He noted that this would prevent the “arbitrary passage of foreign vessels and aircraft in the country’s territory.”

“Designating ASLs will solidify the country’s maritime domain and prevent arbitrary passage in the Philippine archipelago by foreign vessels and aircraft,” he said.

“We will be able to better monitor the movement of foreign vessels and aircraft and ask them to leave should they pose a threat to our peace and order and national security,” he added.

Tolentino said that passing the measure together with the Maritime Zones Act was made more urgent given the frequency and severity of the aggressive behaviors of China.

“While before their aggression was limited within the waters of the West Philippine Sea, just recently, on 8 August, two aircraft of the People’s Liberation Army Air Force performed dangerous maneuvers and dropped flares near a Philippine Air Force aircraft conducting a maritime patrol over Bajo de Masinloc,” he noted.