2nd FSI-UP Partnership Explores Ways Forward in Establishing Archipelagic Sea Lanes in Philippines Waters
From left to right: FSI Director General Francisco Noel R. Fernandez III, Dr. Laura T. David, Amb. (Ret.) Gilberto Asuque, Capt. Carter S. Luma-ang, and UP-CIDS Executive Director Dr. Rosalie Arcala-Hall. (FSI photo)
PASAY 11 September 2024 – Amb. (Ret). Gilberto Asuque, Board Member of the Maritime Law Association of the Philippines and former Assistant Secretary for Maritime and Ocean Affairs of the Department of Foreign Affairs, argued that the internalization of the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) into national laws is the primary consideration for the Philippines to enact legislation dealing with archipelagic sea lanes passage and the exercise of Philippine sovereignty over archipelagic waters. The proposed Philippine ASLs Act is among the pending bills aimed at harmonizing domestic law with the provisions of UNCLOS.
He stressed the need for informal consultations with the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and naval powers to ensure that the designated archipelagic sea lanes will be suitable for continuous and expeditious passage and meet navigation safety standards. Close coordination with other concerned national government agencies, including through an inter-agency technical working group on the ASL, may be necessary.
Captain Carter S. Luma-ang, Director for the Hydrography Branch at the National Mapping and Resource Information Authority (NAMRIA), highlighted that the proposed ASLs were a result of a series of meetings and workshops with various stakeholders to determine how to best safeguard national security, promote navigational safety, and ensure the protection of the marine environment. He stressed that designating ASLs will enable the Philippines to strategize its monitoring efforts on specific key areas within its archipelagic waters, facilitating more effective and efficient allocation of resources.
Dr. Laura T. David, Director of the UP Marine Science Institute, raised the environmental considerations in designating ASLs. These include reclamation threats, oil spills, and marine plastic pollution. She reinforced the need to safeguard the Philippines' abundant marine biodiversity, particularly its food, livelihood, and health resources. She also advocated for using Filipino-developed technologies, engaging with local government units (LGUs) and higher education institutions (HEIs), and establishing a shared data repository for conducting long-term monitoring and surveys in the ASLs.
Participants of the roundtable discussion were from the FSI, DFA, UP-CIDS, members of the academe, other government agencies, media, and non-governmental organizations (NGOs). END
In the open forum, DFA-Maritime and Ocean Affairs Office (DFA-MOAO) Assistant Secretary Marshall Louis Alferez provided updates on the Department’s involvement in the ASLs discussions, including consultations with the IMO and planned engagements with the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). (FSI photo)