Gen. Info - Article 1: The National Territory of the Philippines

Summary

This educational video delves into the Philippine Constitution's first article, detailing the nation's territory. It explains the Philippine Archipelago, internal and territorial waters, and airspace. The video also covers maritime zones under UNCLOS, emphasizing the Philippines' rights within its exclusive economic zone, including disputes in the South China Sea. It asserts the country's sovereignty and the right to protect its resources, despite China's actions.

Takeaways

• 📜 The Philippine Constitution's first article defines the national territory, which is unique as most countries do not specify this in their constitutions.
• 🌏 The national territory of the Philippines includes the Philippine Archipelago, all territories over which the Philippines has sovereignty or jurisdiction, and potentially any future territories.
• 🏞️ The Philippine Archipelago is considered an integrated whole rather than 7,107 individual islands, with internal waters defined by straight baselines connecting the outermost points of the archipelago.
• 🚢 The concept of archipelagic baselines was introduced by the Philippines, Indonesia, and other archipelagic nations to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
• 🏝️ The internal waters of the Philippines are the waters within the archipelagic baselines, and these waters are considered as part of the national territory.
• 🛳️ Territorial sea, seabed, subsoil, and the continental shelf are parts of the Philippine Archipelago that extend beyond the internal waters and are subject to different legal statuses.
• 🌊 The South China Sea, known as the West Philippine Sea in the Philippines, is a region of territorial dispute where the Philippines asserts rights based on UNCLOS.
• 🚫 The Philippines has the right to prevent activities such as building man-made islands and fishing within its exclusive economic zone (EEZ) without agreement or when such activities deplete resources needed by Filipinos.
• 🔄 UNCLOS provides a framework for maritime zones, including territorial waters, contiguous zone, and EEZ, which determine the rights and responsibilities of coastal states in maritime areas.
• ⚖️ The Philippines' Constitution asserts exclusive rights for Filipinos in the EEZ, which allows for the management and protection of resources within this zone.

Q & A

What is unique about the Philippine Constitution's approach to defining national territory?

The Philippine Constitution uniquely defines the national territory in its first article, emphasizing the importance of knowing one's territory to avoid territorial disputes, which is not commonly found in other countries' constitutions.

What does the national territory of the Philippines comprise of?

The national territory of the Philippines comprises the Philippine Archipelago, all other territories over which the Philippines has sovereignty or jurisdiction, and the internal waters.

What is the significance of the code 'DFLA' in the context of the Philippine national territory?

The code 'DFLA' stands for 'Terrestrial, Flowing Bodies of Water, Local Airspace, and Aerial Domain', which are the four components that make up the national territory of the Philippines.

What are the different areas included in the Philippine Archipelago according to the script?

The different areas included in the Philippine Archipelago are the territorial sea, the seabed, the subsoil, the insular shelves, and other submarine areas.

How does the concept of 'archipelagic baseline' affect the determination of internal waters in the Philippines?

The concept of 'archipelagic baseline' connects the outermost points of the Philippine Archipelago, considering all waters inside these baselines as internal waters, treating the archipelago as one integrated whole rather than individual islands.

What is the territorial dispute mentioned in the script, and how does it relate to the Philippines?

The territorial dispute mentioned is the South China Sea dispute, referred to by the Philippines as the West Philippine Sea, which involves disputes over maritime areas and resources between the Philippines and other countries, including China.

What rights does the Philippines have within its territorial waters according to UNCLOS?

Under UNCLOS, the Philippines has sovereignty over its territorial waters, meaning it has complete ownership and can regulate passage through these waters, allowing foreign vessels to enter without engaging in prohibited activities.

What is the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and how does it relate to the Philippines?

The Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) is an area extending up to 200 nautical miles from the baseline, where the Philippines has sovereign rights but not full sovereignty, allowing it to control economic resources and manage fishing and mining activities.

How does the Philippines justify its right to stop China from building man-made islands and fishing in its area?

The Philippines justifies its right by citing the lack of agreement with China, the need to protect resources for its 105 million citizens, and the constitutional protection of its EEZ, which is exclusively for Filipinos.

What are the maritime zones discussed in the script, and what are their significances?

The maritime zones discussed are the territorial sea, the contiguous zone, and the EEZ. The territorial sea is under Philippine sovereignty, the contiguous zone allows control to prevent infringement of customs and other laws, and the EEZ permits free navigation but allows the Philippines to manage resources.

Outlines

00:00

🗺️ Understanding the National Territory of the Philippines

This paragraph introduces the concept of the national territory of the Philippines, emphasizing its unique inclusion in the country's constitution. The speaker highlights the importance of knowing one's territory to avoid disputes, a notion that sets the Philippines apart from other nations. The national territory is described to include the Philippine Archipelago, other territories under Philippine sovereignty or jurisdiction, and internal waters. The speaker breaks down the components into terrestrial, fluvial, and aerial domains, using the mnemonic 'DFAB' to aid memorization. The paragraph also discusses the specific areas included in the Philippine Archipelago, such as territorial sea, seabed, subsoil, and insular shelves, using the mnemonic 'TSSI' to summarize these areas. The concept of internal waters is explored through the archipelagic doctrine, which treats the Philippine Archipelago as a single entity for the purpose of determining internal waters.

05:00

🚢 Territorial Disputes and Maritime Zones in the Philippines

The second paragraph delves into the territorial disputes, particularly in the South China Sea, known as the West Philippine Sea. It discusses the Philippines' rights and the legal framework provided by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). The paragraph explains the different maritime zones as defined by UNCLOS, including the territorial sea, contiguous zone, and the exclusive economic zone (EEZ). It clarifies the Philippines' sovereignty and sovereign rights within these zones. The discussion addresses the contentious issue of China's activities in the region, including the construction of man-made islands and fishing within the Philippines' EEZ. The speaker asserts the Philippines' right to prevent such activities, citing the lack of agreement and the constitutional mandate to protect the EEZ for Filipinos. The paragraph concludes with a review of key concepts, including the national territory, its components, and the maritime zones, setting the stage for the next lesson on the Declaration of Principles and State Policy.

Keywords

💡National Territory

National Territory refers to the land, waters, and airspace that are under the sovereignty or jurisdiction of a country. In the context of the video, the Philippine Constitution's first article defines the national territory, which includes the Philippine Archipelago, other territories over which the Philippines has sovereignty, and internal waters. This concept is central to understanding the video's theme of territorial integrity and sovereignty.

💡Philippine Archipelago

The Philippine Archipelago is a group of islands that constitutes the main part of the Philippines. It is mentioned in the video as the first component of the national territory. The archipelago is significant as it is considered one integrated whole rather than being divided into individual islands, which is a unique approach to defining national territory.

💡Territorial Sea

The Territorial Sea is a zone extending from a country's coastline out to 12 nautical miles, within which the country has sovereignty. The video explains that the Philippines measures its territorial sea from the baseline, and this area is under complete ownership of the Philippines, allowing for full control and regulation.

💡Archipelagic Waters

Archipelagic Waters are the internal waters of an archipelago, as defined by the straight baselines connecting the outermost points of the islands. The video emphasizes that the waters within these baselines are considered internal to the Philippines, which is a key aspect of the country's unique geographical definition.

💡Maritime Zones

Maritime Zones are the areas beyond the coastline that are defined by international law to regulate a country's rights and responsibilities over the oceans. The video discusses how the Philippines uses maritime zones, such as the territorial sea and the exclusive economic zone (EEZ), to assert its rights over resources and navigation.

💡Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ)

The Exclusive Economic Zone is an area extending up to 200 nautical miles from the baseline, where a country has sovereign rights over resources but not sovereignty over the area itself. The video explains that while other countries' ships can pass through without permission, the Philippines has control over the resources within its EEZ.

💡Territorial Disputes

Territorial Disputes arise when there are conflicting claims over territory between countries. The video touches on the South China Sea dispute, also known as the West Philippine Sea dispute, where the Philippines asserts its rights against China's activities, such as building man-made islands and fishing within the EEZ.

💡United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS)

UNCLOS is an international agreement that establishes the legal framework for the use and protection of the world's oceans and their resources. The video uses UNCLOS as a reference point for discussing the Philippines' maritime zones and its rights within those zones.

💡Sovereignty

Sovereignty is the full right and power of a governing body to govern itself without any interference from outside sources. In the video, sovereignty is discussed in the context of the Philippines' complete ownership and control over its territorial waters and the sovereign rights within the EEZ.

💡Internal Waters

Internal Waters are the waters landward of a nation's baseline, considered to be part of the national territory. The video explains that the Philippines treats the waters within the straight baselines connecting the outermost islands as internal waters, which are integral to its national territory.

💡Archaeological Doctrine

The Archaeological Doctrine is a principle that allows archipelagic states to draw straight baselines around their entire archipelago for the purpose of delimiting internal waters. The video mentions that the Philippines, along with other archipelagic nations, introduced this doctrine to the international law, which is crucial for defining its national territory.

Highlights

The Philippine Constitution uniquely defines the national territory in its first article.

The national territory includes the Philippine Archipelago, other territories under Philippine sovereignty, and internal waters.

The Philippine Archipelago is considered one integrated whole rather than 7,107 separate islands.

Internal waters are defined by straight baselines connecting the outermost points of the archipelago.

The concept of 'archipelagic baselines' was introduced by the Philippines at the International Conference on the Law of the Sea.

Territorial sea extends 12 nautical miles from the baseline, where the Philippines has full sovereignty.

The exclusive economic zone (EEZ) extends up to 200 nautical miles, allowing foreign vessels to pass without permission.

The Philippines has sovereign rights, but not full sovereignty, within its EEZ, focusing on resource management.

The Philippines can share its EEZ with other states under specific conditions outlined by UNCLOS.

China's construction of man-made islands and fishing activities in the South China Sea are considered violations of Philippine rights.

The Philippine Constitution asserts the exclusive use of the EEZ for Filipinos, even in the absence of full sovereignty.

The Philippines has the right to prohibit foreign entities from fishing in its EEZ, especially when rights are violated.

The discussion highlights the importance of understanding and defending national territory to avoid territorial disputes.

The lesson concludes with a review of key concepts related to the national territory and maritime zones.

A preview of the next lesson on the Declaration of Principles and State Policy is provided.

Transcripts

[Music]

how do you ever ask yourself how big to

Philippines is or what are the

boundaries of the Philippines well if

you haven't asked those questions this

is your lucky day

Vegas today I'm going to discuss the

first article of the Philippine

Constitution which is the national

territory but before I formally start

our lesson let me first give you a Fanta

did you know that the definition of the

national territory is usually not found

in the constitution of other countries

they were not aware of this fact take

note of this the framers of our

constitution strongly believe that we

must know our territory to avoid

territorial disputes with other country

that serve I'm back for this episode now

let's discuss the national territory it

comprises of the following Brit the

Philippine Archipelago second all other

territories

over which the Philippines a sovereign

or jurisdiction this includes any

territory that possibly belong or mine

in the future belong to the fifth and

last are the internal knowledge together

understand this part let's break it down

starting from the three components of

the national territory first is what we

call that there just really needs this

refers to the land whether agricultural

lands for in certain berlin's mineral

lands and national forests under the

sovereignty or jurisdiction of the

Philippines

second the flow builder needs this

refers to the internal and external

waters under the sovereignty for

jurisdiction of the third

and last is the aerial demean disturbers

to the airspace above the land and water

excluding the Odyssey to make it easier

for us to remember this point

let's take note of this code DF a B

stands for terrestrial today L force

local domain and a for aerial today

against it could it t f king

next are the other areas included in the

Philippine Archipelago first is the

territorial state this is the twelve

nautical mile zone from the low-water

mark from the steep second the seabed or

the bottom of the sea

third this soft soil or everything

beneath the surface soil including the

mineral and the natural resources port

the insular shops are the parts of the

eyelids with remain underwater and last

are the other submarine area or all

other areas under the territorial sea to

make it easier for us to remember this

line let's follow this going t s-s-i

o B stands for territorial cs4 seabed

another s4 subsoil I for initial our

shelves and over other submarine here I

get a good as DSS I Oh

now let's move on to the internal waters

of Sufism due to the fastness of the

filter at the archaeologic nature of the

conditions it did not follow the

traditional basis of determining the

country's founder the Philippines

together with Indonesia and other

archaeologic countries introduced the

idea of party politics offering on the

International Conference on the log to

understand this doctrine let's take a

look at the Philippines the Philippines

is an archipelago this means that it's a

shame or group of islands according to

this archaeological tree the Philippine

archipelago it's considered as one

integrated instead of being divided into

7,107 islands the outermost of the

archipelago is connected with straight

baseline and all the water is inside the

base slides are considered as internal

waters of the film to make it easier for

us to understand the internal waters

let's remember it is going a-b-c eye or

obstacle this means that the waters are

going between and connecting the islands

of the archipelago regardless of their

breath and dimensions for part of the

internal waters of the Philippines since

we are on the topic of the national

territory let's talk about the

territorial disputes specifically

regarding the South China Sea

territorial dispute or for us it's the

West Philippine Sea do we have the right

to stop China from building man-made

island and from fishing in our area to

answer discussion let's press this cos

on clothes on cloths is an acronym for

the United Nations Convention on the law

of the sea the law of the sea was

develop from the struggle between

co-sourcing

which wanted to expand your control over

the maritime area as just enter their

coastline on cloth is the constitution

for the world ocean temple under the on

laws we have different imaginary lines

or maritime zones the determine of

countries maritime territory let's

discuss these maritime zones one by

white from the seizure of the

Philippines we measure 12 nautical miles

the determine its territorial waters

this is the area where the Philippines

has sovereignty

this means that we have a complete

ownership of these territorial waters we

are our property so we are allowed to do

anything with them in the sense passage

through these territorial waters it's

also allowed this means that foreign

vessels can enter as long as they will

be pain from engaging in prohibited

activities such as clapping testing

spying smuggling serious pollution

fishing or scientific research from the

edge of the territorial sea we measure

24 nautical miles to do they mean they

can take you inside in this zone the

Philippines may exercise control to

prevent unpunished infringement of its

custom fiscal immigration or sanitary

laws and regulation within its

territorial sea

extending up to 200 nautical miles it's

what we called the exclusive economic

zone also known as deep in this zone

ships and submarines from other country

can freely travel without any permission

however this is under the condition that

they are just passing by I'm not taking

any resources under Don gloss the

Philippines has no sovereignty

only has sovereign rights over Italy

what do we mean by this this simply

means that we don't entirely follow the

easy we only have sovereign rights the

sovereign rights allow the Philippines

to control all the economic resources

within its exclusive economic zone

including fishing mining and managing

resources according to on cost we can

share our easy with other states in two

conditions first foreign states must

abide the loss of the state allowing

absence for each species second there

must be an abundant amount of the sauce

let's go back to the question earlier do

we have the right to stop China from

building man-made islands and from

fishing in our areas of course the

answer is a big yes first China didn't

have an agreement with the Philippines

when they build the man-made islands

second there are 105 million Filipinos

and the fish in this area is not enough

to feed the whole country and lastly our

Constitution clearly states that the

exclusive economic zone is exclusively

for Filipinos home even if we don't have

sovereignty over the entire piece we

have every right to defend a sovereign

right it means we can still prohibit the

Chinese from fishing and our easy

especially that they already have

violated our rights now let's review the

important concepts for this episode

first the national territory second the

three components of the national

territory third the other areas included

in the Philippine Archipelago fourth the

internal waters of the Philippines

if the archaeologic Dolphy six are the

maritime zone that ends our lesson and

the national territory here is a preview

of our next lesson we'll learn about the

Declaration of Principles and state

policy thank you for learning with us

and see you in the next