Revilla seeks law defining Phl maritime zones

The Philippines must be spared from bullying within its own maritime territory, Senator Ramon "Bong" Revilla Jr. said Tuesday as he co-sponsored a measure seeking the declaration of a maritime zone under the country's jurisdiction.

Revilla, who was also the principal author of the Senate Bill 2492 or the Philippine Maritime Zones Act, said it is crucial for the government to legislate a law amid the increasing maritime security threat in the West Philippine Sea.

"Sa gitna ng patuloy na tila pangungutya sa ating soberanya, walang ibang magtatanggol at mag-gigiit ng ating mga karapatan kundi tayo rin mismong mga Pilipino – tayong mga binigyan ng boses at mandato ng ating mga kababayan upang gumawa ng mga hakbang sa ngalan ng pagprotekta sa kabuuan ng ating bansa," he said.

SB 2492 provides for a general declaration of the maritime zones under the jurisdiction of the Philippines, which include internal waters, archipelagic waters, territorial sea, contiguous zone, exclusive economic zones and continental shelf.

Should it be legislated, it would define the maximum extent of the territorial sea (12 nautical miles), contiguous zone (24 nautical miles), EEZ (200 nautical miles), and continental shelf; and allow the delineation of continental shelves extending beyond 200 nautical miles, in accordance with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

It would also provide for sovereign rights over these maritime zones, thus establishing the Philippines' exclusive rights to explore and exploit living and nonliving resources found in these zones.