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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. 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.
The National Territory of the Philippines comprises the Philippine Archipelago: ARCHIPELAGO came from the Greek work PELAGOS meaning sea. It has been defined as a sea or part of a sea studded with islands, often synonymous with group of islands or large group of islands in an extensive body of water.
Terrestrial Domain
The terrestrial domain refers to the land mass, which may be integrate or dismembered, or partly bound by water or consist of one whole island. It may also be composed of several islands, like the Philippines. It also includes all the resources attached to the land.
AERIAL DOMAIN
This refers to the air space above the land and waters of the State
The rules governing the high seas also apply to outer space, which is considered res communes. Under customary international law, States have the right to launch satellites in orbit over the territorial space of other States. The Outer Space Treaty, formally known as the Treaty on Principles Governing the Activities of States in the Exploration and Use of Outer Space, including the Moon and Other Celestial Bodies, is a treaty that forms the basis of international space law.
FLUVIAL DOMAIN
Included in its fluvial domains are as follows: 1. Internal waters 2. Territorial sea 3. Exclusive Economic zone (EEZ) 4. Sea bed 5. Subsoil 6. Insular shelves 7. Other submarine areas
Internal waters
This include all bodies of water located inside the baseline of the territory including sea, lakes, rivers, streams etc.
Territorial Sea
Out to 12 nautical miles from the baseline, the coastal state is free to set laws, regulate use, and use any resource.
Sea Bed
This refers to the land that holds the sea, lying beyond the sea shore, including mineral and natural resources
SEA BED
Insular shelves
Subsoil
This refers to everything beneath the surface soil and the seabed, including mineral and natural resources.
SUBSOIL SUBSOIL
Sea Mount
Basins
Sea Banks
Shoals
Reefs
All other territories over which the Philippines has sovereignty or jurisdiction
THE PHILIPPINES CLAIM OVER SABBAH
THE PHILIPPINES CLAIM OVER SPRATLYS GROUP
OF ISLANDS
The Sultanate of Sulu was granted the territory as a prize for helping the Sultan of Brunei against his enemies and from then on that part of Borneo is recognized as part of the Sultan of Sulu's sovereignty.
The claim was based on several historical facts and court judgement. The lease agreement is definitely a proof otherwise there will be no basis for any agreement if such ownership was not established at all. The contract was between Sri Paduka Maulana Al Sultan Mohammad Jamalul Alam - representing the sultanate as owner and sovereign of Sabah on one hand, and that of Gustavus Baron de Overbeck and Alfred Dent, representing the British East India Co. (then became the North Borneo Co.), on the other as lessee of Sabah, was executed on June 22, 1878. Though the British turned over the possession and government of Sabah to the federation, the Malaysians have not remissed in paying the annual rental.
Spratly Group of Island does not belong to any state when it was claimed by Thomas Cloma. Within the EEZ of the Philippines in accordance with the 1982 United Nations Conventions on the Laws of the Sea UNCLOS.