• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
Amid disputes with China over the West Philippine Sea, House Bill 7819, known as the Philippine Maritime Zones Act and authored by Negros Occidental Third District Rep. Jose Francisco Benitez, is now on its way to Malacañang, for signing into a law by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
HB 7819 was ratified on March 19 by the House of Representatives, after the Lower House and Senate Bicameral Committee agreed on the consolidated bill, Benitez said.
“This will set clear demarcations for our maritime areas, especially in light of disputes with China over the West Philippine Sea, and to uphold our sovereign rights to make use of our resources in our local waters and Exclusive Economic Zone,” he stressed.
HB 7819 provides a comprehensive framework for delineating the various maritime zones under the Philippines’ jurisdiction.
The bill aims to declare the rights and entitlements of the Philippines over its maritime zones, which include its internal waters, archipelagic waters, territorial sea, contiguous zone, Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), and continental shelf.
It will also be in accordance with the 2016 South China Sea (SCS) arbitration, wherein The Permanent Court of Arbitration unanimously ruled in favor of the Philippines in its case against China over conflicting claims on the SCS.
Stressing that it will be a big help to local fishermen, Benitez said “ this will show the world that we have clear rules, and are compliant with International Law when we are operating in our waters.”
The Philippine Maritime Zones Act reflects our commitment to being a responsible member of the global community, and our country adheres to the rules-based international order and complies with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), he stressed.*
