National territory of the Philippine

National Territory

Sec 1, Art 1 of 1986 Philippine Constitution, defines the National territory of the Philippines as follows: “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 the terrestrial, fluvial, and aerial domains, including its territorial sea, the seabed, the subsoil, the insular shelves, and other submarine areas. The waters around, between and connecting the islands of the archipelago, regardless of their breadth or dimensions, form part of the internal waters of the Philippines”

A.) Organic acts and issuances affecting the National territory

I. Treaty of Paris of December 10, 1898 (cession of the Philippine islands by Spain to the United States;

II. Treaty between Spain and the U.S., at Washington, on Nov 7 , 1900 ( Cagayan, Sulu and Sibato)

III Treaty between and the U.S. and Great Britain, jan 2, 1930 (Turtle Islands and Mangsee Islands)

IV. 1935 Constitution ( Batanes)

V. 1973 Constitution ( territory belonging to the Philippines by historic right or legal title)

VI. PD 1596 , June 11, 1978 ( Philippines officially laid claim to KALAYAAN Islands by virtue of occupation and exercise of jurisdiction)

B.) The second sentence of Sec 1, Art I, is a statement of the Archipelago doctrine of national territory.