ARTICLE I - NATIONAL TERRITORY

Question 1

What comprises our national territory?

Answer 1

The national territory comprises the Philippine archipelago, with all the islands and waters embraced therein, and all other territories over which the Philippines has sovereignty or jurisdiction, consisting of its terrestrial, fluvial and aerial domains, including its territorial sea, the seabed, the subsoil, the insular shelves, and other submarine areas.

Question 2

What are our internal waters?

Answer 2

These are the waters around, between, and connecting the islands of the archipelago, regardless of their breadth and dimensions, form part of the internal waters of the Philippines.

Question 3

What is the scope of our national territory?

Answer 3

1. Philippine archipelago, with all the islands and waters embraced therein
2. all other territories over which the Philippines has sovereignty or jurisdiction
3. terrestrial, fluvial and aerial domains, including its territorial sea, the seabed, the subsoil, the insular shelves, and other submarine areas.
4. Internal waters.

Question 4

What does terrestrial domain mean?

Answer 4

All surface of land above the sea that belongs to PH

Question 5

What does fluvial domain mean?

Answer 5

Includes inland waters, waters of the territorial sea, and other submarine areas.

Question 6

What does aerial domain mean?

Answer 6

It refers to the airspace or that part of the air directly above the land and water territory of the PH.

Question 7

What is seabed?

Answer 7

Land that holds the sea

Question 8

What is subsoil?

Answer 8

Everything beneath the surface soil and the seabed

Question 9

What are insular shelves?

Answer 9

Submerged portions of a continent or offshore island

Question 10

What are other submarine areas?

Answer 10

All areas under the territorial sea.

Question 11

T or F

The Philippines is a MID-OCEAN ARCHIPELAGO.

Answer 11

TRUE.

Question 12

How many islands does the Philippines have?

Answer 12

7107, 7641 under NAMRIA (National Mapping and Resource Information Authority)

Question 13

What oceans surround the Philippines?

Answer 13

North and West - South China Sea
East - Pacific Ocean
South - Celebes Sea

Question 14

What are the 2 types of archipelagos?

Answer 14

1. Continental/coastal

2. Mid-ocean/outlying

Question 15

Who has the right to determine the extent of a State’s territory?

Answer 15

The State.

Question 16

The Constitution of the Philippines specifically defines the extent of its national territory.

Answer 16

True.

Question 17

Explain the Philippine Treaty Limits.

Answer 17

The Philippine National Territory, as defined in the 1987 Constitution, covers the territorial areas set forth in the

1. TREATY OF PARIS (Spain to US, $20M)
2. CESSION TREATY OF 1900 (Sibutu and Sulu)
3. THE BOUNDARIES TREATY OF 1930.

Question 18

What is UNCLOS?

Answer 18

United Nations Convention on the Laws of the Seas is a multilateral treaty which was opened for signature on December 10, 1982 at Montego Bay, Jamaica. It was ratified by the Philippines in 1984 but came into force on November 16, 1994 upon the submission of the 60th ratification.

Question 19

T or F

The UNCLOS has nothing to do with the acquisition or loss of territory.

Answer 19

True.

Question 20

T or F

Territorial claims to land features are part and parcel of the features of the UNCLOS.

Answer 20

FALSE.

Question 21

What is the purpose of baselines laws?

Answer 21

These are used to MARK OUT SPECIFIC BASEPOINTS ALONG THE COASTS from which basepoints are drawn to measure the breadth of maritime zones and continental shelves.

Question 22

What are the different maritime zones under UNCLOS?

Answer 22

1. Internal waters
2. Territorial sea
3. Contiguous zone
4. EEZ
5. High seas

Question 23

T or F
The sovereignty of a coastal State extends beyond its land territory and internal waters and, in the case of an archipelagic state, its archipelagic waters, to an adjacent belt of sea, described as a territorial sea.

Answer 23

True

Question 24

T or F

Sovereignty extends to the air space over the territorial sea as well as to its bed and subsoil.

Answer 24

True

Question 25

T or F

The sovereignty over the territorial sea is exercised subject to the Convention and to other rules of international law.

Answer 25

True.

Question 26

T or F

High seas are open to all states whether landlocked or coastal.

Answer 26

True

Question 27

T or F

Any State may claim or exercise sovereignty over any part of The Area or its resources.

Answer 27

False. No State shall claim or exercise sovereignty over any part of The Area or its resources.

Question 28

T or F

An island is a naturally formed area of land surrounded by water which is below water at high tide.

Answer 28

False. Above water at high tide.

Question 29

T or F
Rocks which cannot sustain human habitation or economic life of their own shall have exclusive economic zone or continental shelf.

Answer 29

False. NO exclusive economic zone or continental shelf.

Question 30

T or F

Article 1 of the Constitution is also known as the Archipelagic Doctrine.

Answer 30

True.

Question 31

T or F
The Archipelagic Doctrine states that an archipelago which consists of many islands, shall be treated as ONE INTEGRAL UNIT.

Answer 31

True.

Question 32

T or F
A constitution is a municipal law. As such, it is binding only within the territorial limits of the sovereignty promulgating the constitution.

Answer 32

True.