Senate to fast-track Maritime Zones bill passage, says Zubiri

Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri and Senator Francis Tolentino on Thursday vowed to fast-track the passage of the Philippine Maritime Zones bill amid China’s release of the new 10-dash line map which places nearly the entire South China Sea within its national boundaries.

“That is a priority of the Senate. We commit to you by the end of the year, before December, we will deliberate it," Zubiri said in a press conference Thursday.

"During budget deliberations isasabay namin ito at ipapasa namin ang Maritime Zones Act ni Senator Tolentino and several senators who filed. We are going to pass it,” he added.

In a separate press conference, Tolentino, who was named as the chairperson of the Senate Special Committee on Philippine Maritime and Admiralty Zones, said he will prioritize the passage of the proposed law, adding that the China’s “wanton disregard…should not be condoned nor tolerated by the International Community.”

“We’ll try to, as what SP said, fast-track the legislative measure that will call for the enactment of the Maritime Zone Bill… Iyon ang ta-trabahuin non. Mahirap at madugo iyon. D’on siguro kami mag focus ngayon,” he said.

According to Tolentino, the proposed Maritime Zones Act will establish the extent of Philippine jurisdiction over its exclusive zones and its continental shelf.

The lawmaker said this will be passed along with another measure that will establish the Philippine Archipelagic Sea Lanes.

“Magkakaroon ng dedicated – imagine niyo yung carousel bus lane natin sa EDSA doon lang ang bus. So itong sa panukalang batas mayroong tatlong shipping lines na doon lang dadaan yung mga pandagat na sasakyan ng galing sa ibang bansa. Pag wala ka don, may violation ka,” he said.

Currently, there are seven bills filed on the Philippine Maritime Zones Act while there are four bills on the Philippine Archipelagic Sea Lanes.

In July, the Senate created a special committee which will tackle measures relating to baselines, maritime zones, archipelagic sea lanes, and other matters relevant to the protection of Philippine territory.—LDF, GMA Integrated News