ARTICLE I THE NATIONAL TERRITORY The national territory of the Philippines comprises: 1. The Philippine archipelago 2.

. With all the islands and waters embraced therein 3. And all other territories over which the Philippines has sovereignty or jurisdiction 4. Consisting of its 1. Terrestrial 2. Fluvial; and CODE: TFA 3. Aerial domains 5. Including its 1. Territorial sea 2. The seabed 3. The subsoil CODE: TSSIO 4. The insular shelves; and 5. The other submarine areas 6. The waters 1. Around 2. Between and 3. Connecting 4. The islands of the archipelago CODE: ABCI Regardless of their breadth and dimensions Form part of the INTERNAL WATERS of the Philippines

An archipelago is a body of water studded with islands. The Philippine archipelago is that body of water studded with islands which is delineated in the Treaty of Paris (1898), as amended by the Treaty of Washington (1900) and the Treaty of Great Britain (1930). Definition of all other territories over which the Philippines has sovereignty or jurisdiction It includes any territory that presently belongs or might in the future belong to the Philippines through any of the internationally accepted modes of acquiring territory.

Archipelagic principle
Two elements: 1. The definition of internal waters (as provided above); 2. The straight baseline method of delineating the territorial sea consists of drawing straight lines connecting appropriate points on the coast without departing to any appreciable extent from the general direction of the coast.

Important distances with respect to the waters around the Philippines

1. Territorial sea 2. Contiguous zone the territorial sea 12 nautical miles (n.m.) 12 n.m. from the edge of

Definition of Archipelago

3. Exclusive economic zone baseline [includes (1) and (2)]

200 n.m. from the

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