Press Release - Co-Sponsorship Speech Senator Ronald "Bato" Dela Rosa Philippine Archipelagic Sea Lanes Act

Mr. President, dear colleagues, good afternoon.

It is my privilege to co-sponsor Senate Bill No. 2665 under Committee Report No. 251 or the "Philippine Archipelagic Sea Lanes Act."

"Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach him how to fish and you feed him for a lifetime."

Often, we have used such saying to inspire our less fortunate fellow Filipinos to work harder because no one can free them from hunger and poverty but themselves. The government can only do so much with such limited resources.

But perhaps, our application of the aforementioned Chinese proverb might no longer be applicable to the current situation of our people. For the past decades or so, our fishermen have been on the receiving end of harassment and bullying from the Chinese. In a situation where the choice is between your survival or your untimely end, what will be the use of being taught how to fish? Tinuruan nga nating mangisda, Mr. President, ngunit hindi naman natin nabigyan ng kaukulang proteksyon laban sa mga magtatangkang agawin ang kung anuman ang meron siya.

Teaching our people to fish for them to thrive for a lifetime would be senseless if they are forcibly driven away from their traditional fishing spot within our exclusive economic zone. Our people are not poor because they are lazy. They are deprived of their livelihood; of their opportunity to win in life; and sadly, for some, the chance to survive. Kahit po gaano kasipag ang mga Pilipino, kung patuloy po silang inaagawan ng kanilang karapatan para pakinabangan ang likas na yaman na nakalaan sa kanila, darating ang araw na mawawalan sila ng pangkain sa araw-araw.

The establishment of Philippine Archipelagic Sea Lanes as embodied in the proposed bill will ensure the protection of fishing grounds and key biodiversity areas in Philippine waters. This will safeguard the integrity of our national territory.

Further, the proposed measure ensures that foreign ships and aircraft exercising the right of archipelagic sea lanes shall not engage in threat or use of force against the sovereignty, territorial integrity, or political independence of the Republic of the Philippines or in any other manner in violation of the