The Philippine House of Representatives ratified the Archipelagic Sea Lanes Bill on Monday, moving the legislation one step closer to becoming law. The bill, which empowers the President to establish sea lanes in Philippine waters and set regulations for foreign ships and aircraft passing through these routes, now awaits President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s signature for final enactment. The Senate ratified the measure last week.
Pangasinan Representative Maria Rachel Arenas, chairperson of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs and head of the bicameral committee on the bill, emphasized its importance in strengthening maritime governance and national security.
“This bill strikes a balance between the Philippines’ national interests and the rights of the international community under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS),” Arenas said. She further noted that setting these sea lanes is critical to protecting the country’s maritime domain and fulfilling international obligations.
The bill also outlines guidelines for foreign ships and aircraft navigating Philippine waters, ensuring that their passage does not compromise national security or disrupt peace.
As one of the Marcos administration’s priority measures, the Archipelagic Sea Lanes Bill aligns with the Philippines’ commitment to UNCLOS, which defines a country’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) as extending 200 nautical miles from its coast.
The Philippines successfully invoked UNCLOS in 2013 when it challenged China’s territorial claims in the South China Sea before the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague. The 2016 ruling favored the Philippines, rejecting China’s expansive “nine-dash line” claim and affirming that areas such as the Ayungin Shoal and Recto Bank fall within the Philippines’ EEZ. Despite this, China has not recognized the ruling and continues to assert its claims.