Magdalo Party-list Rep. Gary Alejano has called on the House of Representatives leadership to prioritize bills defining the country’s archipelagic baselines and maritime zones to further boost the country’s claim over disputed West Philippine Sea (WPS) territories.
Alejano, a member of the House independent minority bloc, said the recent United Nations Arbitral Tribunal decision upholding the Philippines’ claim over disputed islands and reefs in the WPS should be used to good advantage by passing the twin legislative proposals.
Alejano re-filed House Bill 1117 providing for the establishment of archipelagic sea lanes in the Philippine archipelagic waters and HB 1118 which seeks to define the maritime zones of the Philippines.
The two bills were first filed in the 14th Congress but were never passed.
In the 16th Congress, the Lower House passed HB 1118 on third and final reading while HB 1117 was approved on the committee level.
“These two proposed measures will strengthen the country’s claim as an archipelagic state and maritime nation. It will definitely reinforce our claim in WPS and the support the Hague ruling,” said Alejano.
He said the bills are proposed laws that will “define the conduct on our international and external waters” of commercial and military vessels seeking passage on the archipelagic sea lanes of the Philippines.
“Enforcing these laws are clearly manifestation of our interest and resolve to claim what are rightfully ours,” said Alejano, a former Philippine Navy officer.
OTHER AVENUES
Meantime, the University of the Philippines is currently developing a mechanism involving researchers and analysts from the Philippines and China to help in exploring ways of moving forward on the West Philippine Sea/South China Sea issue.
This was disclosed by UP President Alfredo E. Pascual in an interview with reporters in the sidelines of the just concluded Second Manila Conference on the South China Sea held at the historic landmark Manila Hotel.
Dubbed as Track Two dialogue mechanism, Pascual said the initiative is “strictly unofficial in nature, involving mainly researchers, analysts, and experts” and may be used as a guide to bilateral talks at the non-government level.
http://www.mb.com.ph/maritime-bills-to-boost-ph-stand-on-sea-dispute/
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