Senate ratifies PH Maritime Zones bill

The Senate on Monday ratified the final version of the proposed Philippine Maritime Zones bill.

This, after Senate Majority Leader Francis Tolentino sponsored the bicameral conference committee report on the disagreeing provisions of the versions of the House of Representatives and the Senate.

According to the senator, the highlight of the bicameral conference committee report is the convergence of articles concerning the internal waters, as well as the archipelagic waters.

"This was already agreed upon by both chambers that it will be fused as one. And this would jive likewise with the Magallona v. Executive Secretary Supreme Court case, Mr. President," Tolentino said in his sponsorship speech.

"I think we have now a clearer bill with the forthcoming approval of the Archipelagic Sea Lanes law, this would be as clear as day," he added.

The bicameral conference committee report was approved last July 17.

Tolentino earlier explained the need for the passage of the measure, saying this would clarify the country's rights over its territory.

Several government agencies, including the  Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) and the Department of Energy (DOE), earlier pushed for the passage of the measure.

The maritime zones bill is awaiting President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos, Jr..'s signature for it to become a law, while The Hague-based arbitration court already upheld in July 2016 the Philippines' EEZ in the West Philippine Sea which is 200 nautical miles off territorial sea.

The same court ruling also declared that the Panganiban (Mischief) Reef, Ayungin (Second Thomas) Shoal and Recto (Reed) Bank are located within the Philippines' EEZ as provided by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

Further, the same Hague-based court decision also junked China’s expansive claim of having sovereignty over the entirety of the South China Sea, as well as outlawed China’s aggression within the Philippine EEZ and in Scarborough shoal which the Hague court deemed as a common fishing ground.—LDF, GMA Integrated News