Senate approves Maritime Zones bill

Senate approves Maritime Zones bill

MANILA, Philippines: The Senate on Monday unanimously passed on third and final reading the Maritime Zones Bill that seeks to bolster the Philippines’ claim in territorial sea disputes.

Senate Bill (SB) 2492 or the proposed Philippine Maritime Zones Act (PMZA) aims to declare the rights and entitlements of the Philippines over its maritime zones, including the underwater features for the enjoyment and cultivation by Filipinos.

Senator Francis Tolentino, chairman of the Senate Special Committee on Maritime and Admiralty Zones, raised the need for the Philippines to have its own Maritime Zones Act because it “is not merely a legal obligation, but a paramount necessity for the Philippines’ national, economic, and environmental security.”

Tolentino said the passage of SB 2492, which he sponsored, marked “a significant milestone not only for our legislative body but for our nation as a whole.”

“I am committed to ensuring that the Philippine Maritime Zones Law will continue to serve as a cornerstone of our maritime policy, protecting our sovereignty, promoting sustainable development and securing our future prosperity,” he added.

Prof. Jay Batongbacal, UP Institute for Maritime Affairs and Law of the Sea director, said with the enactment of the Maritime Zone law “foreign States will be obliged to ensure that their flag vessels comply with our laws and regulations of the country enacted in accordance with international law.”

Julio Amador 3rd, Waypoints senior advisor, said the passage of the Maritime Zones law “is a national policy 40 years in the making.”

“Since the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea was adopted, the Philippines needed to align its national laws with international norms and laws,” he said.