phil hist

Archipelagic Baseline of the Philippines

AN ACT TO AMEND CERTAIN PROVISIONS OF R.A. 3046, AS AMENDED BY R.A. 5446, TO DEFINE ARCHIPELAGIC BASELINE OF THE PHILIPPINES AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES.

By the use of this law, we will have a much specific territorial baseline. Philippines also have the right to dominate the places which this law stated to be its property. We may also do whatever we want as long as it is on our territory and no other country can put control on it. With this act, it also define achipelagic baseline to include Kalayaan Island Group and Scarborough Shoal in our territory, but under a "regime of islands" or defined as naturally formed area surrounded by water.

But conflict to that, I think there will be many complications in this law. Let's try to remember the Treaty of Paris which also includes Philippine Baseline. If we are still going to pursue R.A 9522, the boundaries of our country will become very much smaller if we declare it an archipelagic state under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea because the boundaries of the Philippines as specified in the treaty are so much wider.

If the Philippines will still pursue this law, other countries who also claimed Kalayaan Island Group as part if their territory, will argue with us. As we can see, we really don't have the right to claim Kalayaan Island Group that easy because we never regarded it as part of our archipelago even if we take a look in the past. What if our Southeast Asian neighbors declare war just because of this issue? Our economy will be affected and we don't have enough military or navy force to match other countries. We might also be in risk of violating international law if we include Kalayaan Island Group within our baseline without further consultations with other parties and international groups.

And lastly, in my concern, if this law will not cause harm to us, then let the government officials pursue it. But of course, as long as we are on the right track and it will not cause war, no other countries will get angry to us, and also for our good economic relationships with other countries not to be affected by any means.