Article I of the 1987 Philippine Constitution is dedicated to the National Territory of the Philippines. It defines the Philippines' territorial extent, including its land, water, and airspace. The article consists of three sections that describe the extent and boundaries of the Philippine territory, the archipelagic doctrine, and the preservation of the country's marine wealth.
Article I establishes that the Philippines is a democratic and republican state with several territories, including its islands, waters, and airspace. The Philippine territory also includes other territories over which the Philippines has sovereignty or jurisdiction, such as the continental shelf, the submarine areas, and the exclusive economic zone.
Article I adopts the archipelagic doctrine as the basis for determining the extent and boundaries of the Philippine territory. According to this doctrine, the Philippines is an archipelago with all the islands and waters embraced within its archipelagic baselines. The baselines refer to the straight lines drawn connecting the outermost points of the outermost islands and rocks, which encircle the Philippine archipelago.
Finally, Article I mandates the state to protect and conserve the country's marine wealth, including its exclusive economic zone and continental shelf. The state is also responsible for promoting the utilization of these resources for the benefit of the Filipino people.
Exclusive Economic Zone
The Philippine Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) is an area of the sea that extends 200 nautical miles (370 kilometers) from the country's baselines. It covers a vast maritime area of approximately 2.2 million square kilometers, making it one of the largest EEZs in the world.
The Philippines has exclusive rights to the exploration, exploitation, conservation, and management of the natural resources found within its EEZ, including fish, oil, natural gas, and minerals. The country also has the right to regulate marine scientific research, prevent marine pollution, and enforce laws and regulations on marine activities within its EEZ.
The EEZ is a vital source of livelihood for millions of Filipinos who depend on fishing and other marine-related activities for their subsistence. The government recognizes the importance of sustainable use and management of the country's marine resources to ensure their long-term viability and to promote economic development.
The Philippine EEZ is also a subject of territorial disputes with neighboring countries, particularly China, which claims most of the South China Sea, including the waters within the Philippine EEZ. The Philippines has been pursuing peaceful and diplomatic means to assert its rights over its EEZ while also calling for respect for international law, particularly the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).