Amendment to define PH archipelagic baseline

Republic Act No. 9522 amends Section 1 of Republic Act No. 3046, titled “An Act to Define the Baselines of the Territorial Sea of the Philippines,” as amended by Section 1 of Republic Act No. 5446 (Section 1).
Republic Act No. 3046—as amended by Republic Act No. 5446—is modified through the amended baseline definition and related provisions introduced by Republic Act No. 9522 (Section 8).
Republic Act No. 9522 makes the deposit and registration, mapping production, and funding provisions operable through its own sections (Sections 4–6).
Section 8 amends or modifies “all other laws, decrees, executive orders, rules and issuances” inconsistent with Republic Act No. 9522.

Republic Act No. 9522 affirms the Philippines’ dominion, sovereignty and jurisdiction over all portions of the national territory as defined in the Constitution and applicable laws (Section 3).
Section 3 expressly includes coverage “including, without limitation, Republic Act No. 7160,” otherwise known as the Local Government Code of 1991, as amended.
Republic Act No. 9522 expressly affirms that baselines defined within the Act support the exercise of sovereignty and jurisdiction in delineated maritime areas (Sections 2–3).

Section 1 defines and describes the baselines of the Philippines archipelago through a list of basepoint numbers, station names, locations, and World Geodetic System of 1984 (WGS 84) coordinates, including the distance to the next basepoint (M) with specified latitude (N) and longitude (E).
Section 1 uses basepoint numbers with corresponding named features such as Amianan Is., Balintang Is., Bigan Pt., Ditolong Pt., Spires Is., Digollorin Pt., Divimisa Pt., and many others up to Basepoint Number 101.
Section 1 sets the baselines’ geographic geometry specifically through the enumerated WGS 84 coordinate pairs and the listed inter-basepoint distances measured in meters (M) (e.g., 70.08, 99.17, 71.83, and the remaining values in the table).
Section 1 treats the coordinate-distance table as the operative technical description for the archipelagic baselines by basepoint sequence (Basepoint Numbers 1–101).

Section 2 provides that baselines in specified areas over which the Philippines likewise exercises sovereignty and jurisdiction shall be determined as a “Regime of Islands”.
Section 2 requires that the “Regime of Islands” determination be made under the Republic of the Philippines consistent with Article 121 of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
Section 2 identifies the affected areas as:
- The Kalayaan Island Group as constituted under Presidential Decree No. 1596; and
- Bajo de Masinloc, also known as Scarborough Shoal.

Section 4 requires that this Act, together with the geographic coordinates and the chart and maps indicating the baselines, shall be deposited and registered with the Secretary General of the United Nations.
Section 5 directs the National Mapping and Resource Information Authority (NAMRIA) to forthwith produce and publish charts and maps of the appropriate scale.
Section 5 requires NAMRIA’s charts and maps to clearly represent the delineation of basepoints and baselines as set forth in Republic Act No. 9522.

Section 6 provides that the amount necessary to carry out the provisions of Republic Act No. 9522 shall be provided in a supplemental budget or included in the General Appropriations Act of the year of its enactment into law.

Section 7 establishes a separability rule: if any portion or provision is declared unconstitutional or invalid, the remaining portions not affected continue to be in full force and effect.

Section 8 amends or modifies provisions of Republic Act No. 3046 (as amended by Republic Act No. 5446) and all inconsistent laws and issuances accordingly.
Section 8 operates through amendment/modification of inconsistent enactments, rather than through a list of specific repealed sections.