he Philippines has taken another decisive step in asserting its sovereignty and maritime rights by enacting two new laws.
The Maritime Zones Act and the Archipelagic Sea Lanes Act aim to strengthen the Philippines’ territorial claims, particularly in the South China Sea, while bolstering Manila’s economic and environmental stewardship of its waters. The legislation underscores the country’s commitment to international law and a rules-based maritime order, analysts and officials said.
The laws could facilitate “robust regional trade and military operations without hampering the national sovereignty and territorial integrity of the host country,” Chester Cabalza, president of the Manila-based International Development and Security Cooperation think tank.
The Archipelagic Sea Lanes Act designates routes for foreign vessels and aircraft to transit through Philippine territory in alignment with international law. The routes include the Balintang Channel in the north and two southern lanes via the Sulu Sea, all traversing the West Philippine Sea, which is internationally recognized as part of the South China Sea and unlawfully claimed in part by the PRC.
The designated sea lanes enable “safe passage for foreign ships and aircraft without compromising our national security nor diminishing our capacity for good environmental stewardship,” Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said during the signing ceremony for the laws in November 2024, according to a news release.
Beijing opposed the laws, claiming they include its territory, The Associated Press reported. Philippine lawmakers, however, said the measures reinforce the 2016 international tribunal ruling that invalidated Beijing’s expansive claims in the resource-rich South China Sea, a vital global trade route.
The PRC continues to defy that ruling by militarizing artificial maritime features in disputed portions of the sea, and by deploying coast guard and militia ships to harass other claimant states’ civilian and military vessels operating legally within their respective maritime zones, including the Philippines.
The Maritime Zones Act delineates the Philippines’ internal and archipelagic waters, territorial sea, contiguous zone, exclusive economic zone, and continental shelf in alignment with the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). Philippine Sen. Francis Tolentino, chair of the Admiralty and Maritime Zones Committee, previously emphasized that the delineations are crucial for managing and capitalizing on the country’s maritime resources.
