Passage of sealanes bill to help govern Philippines waters

MANILA, Philippines — With the passage in the Senate of a measure setting Archipelagic Sea Lanes (ASL), the Philippines will have greater capability in governing the waters within its sovereignty, sovereign rights and jurisdiction, the National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea (NTF-WPS) said yesterday.

On Tuesday, the Senate passed on third and final reading the Archipelagic Sea Lanes Bill contained in Senate Bill 2665, a landmark measure that aims to strengthen the country’s territorial integrity and national security.

“The NTF-WPS recognizes the strategic importance of maritime legislation, which will bring attention to the proper scope of the Philippine maritime domain and the need for strategic investments in maritime security, maritime domain awareness, maritime law enforcement, sustainability of marine resources and protection of the marine environment,” the NTF-WPS said in a statement.

The bill defines ASLs as “designated sea lanes in the archipelagic waters and air routes thereabove through which foreign vessels may exercise the right of archipelagic sea lanes passage.”

The measure also defines the “right of innocent passage” as the “continuous and expeditious passage of foreign vessels through the territorial sea that is not prejudicial to the peace, good order or security of the Philippines.”

“We express our deep gratitude to the Senate for their approval on third and final reading of Senate Bill No. 2665, also known as the Archipelagic Sea Lanes Bill,” the NTF-WPS said. “This important piece of legislation is crucial in enhancing our sovereignty, national security and territorial integrity.”

The NTF-WPS said the actions in the Senate are in lockstep with efforts of the House of Representatives, which passed on final reading its version of the measure in December 2023.

NTF-WPS spokesman Commodore Jay Tarriela said he hopes the ASL measure would be given “positive and prompt consideration by the bicameral conference committee.”

Tarriela also dismissed as “too absurd” allegations in Chinese state media that the Philippines is building a forward base in the West Philippine Sea.

In a post on X, China’s state-run Global Times said the Philippine Coast Guard is sending a second vessel to Escoda (Sabina) Shoal in preparation for the establishment of a forward base “in the form of a semi-permanent floating platform.”

Tarriela maintained that China’s raising such scenario was meant “to distract the international community from their unlawful actions and aggressive behavior, which includes the deployment of Chinese Coast Guard vessel in Escoda Shoal, alongside their numerous Chinese Maritime Militia and a Chinese research vessel that are clearly encroaching upon the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone.”

“Their suspicions about the Philippines engaging in such actions stem from their own pattern of unlawfully occupying maritime areas in the South China Sea, followed by illegal reclamation and provocative militarization of those features,” he said in an interview over “One Balita Pilipinas” on One PH.

Meanwhile, President Marcos has appointed a former military officer as spokesman for the National Maritime Council.

Alexander Lopez “will speak on behalf of the NMC on issues surrounding the West Philippine Sea,” the Presidential Communications Office (PCO) said in a statement yesterday.

Marcos issued Executive Order 57 in March creating the NMC, with the aim of strengthening the Philippines’ maritime security and increasing maritime domain awareness among Filipinos amid China’s growing aggressiveness in the WPS. Lopez graduated from the Philippine Military Academy in 1982.

According to the PCO, Lopez’s appointment papers were signed by the President on Aug. 6.

Before his appointment, Lopez served as undersecretary of the Department of Energy from 2018 to 2022 and previously as consultant of the same agency from 2017 to 2018. He was also a security consultant of ABS-CBN Corp. from 2016 to 2018.

He served as commander of the Western Command of the Armed Forces of the Philippines from 2014 to 2016, and deputy chief of staff for education and training. – Ghio Ong, Helen Flores