Expanded Philippine Constitution

National Territory

• Territorial - Includes the Philippine archipelago, all its islands, waters, terrestrial, fluvial, and aerial domains
• Seabed, Subsoil, Insular Shelves - All of these are part of the national territory
• Internal Waters - Waters surrounding, between, and connecting the archipelago islands
• Other Territories - Philippines has sovereignty or jurisdiction over other territories
• Territorial Sea - Extending 12 nautical miles from baseline
• Contiguous Zone - Extending 24 nautical miles from baseline
• Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) - Area within a certain distance of a country's coastline, for exclusive fishing, drilling, and economic activities
• Spratly Islands - Geographically part of the Philippines, approximately 54 nautical miles from Palawan Island

Declaration of Principles and State Policies

• Principles - Binding rules observed by the government, represented in sections 1-6
• Policies - Guidelines for the state's orientation, represented in sections 7-28
• Sovereignty - Resides in the people, and all government authority emanates from them
• Renouncement of War - Adopted as a national policy, along with the generally accepted principles of international law
• Civilian Authority - Supreme over the military
• Military's Role - Protection of the people and the state, securing its sovereignty and national territory
• Government's Prime Duty - Serving and protecting the people
• Citizen Duty - Serving the state through personal, military, or civil service under the law
• Essential Functions - Maintaining peace and order, protecting life, liberty, and property, promoting general welfare
• Church-State Separation - Inviolable
• Independent Foreign Policy - Based on national sovereignty, territorial integrity, national interest, and self-determination
• Social Order - Ensuring prosperity, national independence, poverty alleviation through social services, full employment, and improved quality of life
• Social Justice - Promoted in all phases of national development
• Human Dignity and Rights - Valued and fully respected by the state
• Family Life - Protected and strengthened as a basic social institution, with equal protection for both mother and unborn child
• Parental Rights and Duties - Supported by the government
• Youth's Role - Recognized in nation-building, with promotion and protection of their well-being
• Indigenous Cultural Communities - Rights recognized within the framework of national unity and development
• Non-Governmental Organizations - Encouraged to promote national welfare
• Communication and Information - Recognized as vital for nation-building
• Local Government Autonomy - Guaranteed by the state
• Public Service Equal Access - Guaranteed, with prohibition of political dynasties
• Honesty and Integrity - Maintained in public service, with measures against graft and corruption
• Public Disclosure - Policy of full public disclosure of all public interest transactions subject to reasonable conditions

Bill of Rights

• Declaration of Rights - Sets the limits of the state's lawful powers, a fundamental characteristic of a republican system
• Citizens' Rights - A list of the most important rights of citizens
• Classification of Rights - God-given and universally acknowledged - Natural Rights

Territorial and Political Subdivisions

• Subdivisions - Provinces, cities, municipalities, and barangays
• Autonomous Regions - Muslim Mindanao and the Cordilleras
• Local Autonomy - Enjoyed by territorial and political subdivisions
• Provinces - Largest political units, responsible for functions affecting the province
• Provincial Board - Passes laws for the welfare of municipalities and cities within its jurisdiction, prepares and approves the budget, appropriates money, exercises eminent domain, maintains equipment and buildings
• Cities - Chartered cities, governed by their charters, with elected officials like the mayor, vice mayor, and board of councilors
• City Functions - Collecting taxes, enacting ordinances, providing public works, maintaining a police force
• Municipalities - Public corporations created by Congress, governed by the Municipality Law, with the mayor as the chief executive
• Municipal Functions - Executing laws and ordinances, supervising administration, maintaining peace and order
• Barangays - Smallest units of local government, governed by the Barrio Charter
• Independent Administration - Each subdivision is responsible for its own management and administration, operating differently based on its specific functions and priorities.

National Territory

• The national territory of the Philippines includes the Philippine archipelago, all islands and waters, and other territories under its sovereignty or jurisdiction.
• This includes the terrestrial, fluvial, and aerial domains, territorial sea, seabed, subsoil, insular shelves, and submarine areas.
• All waters around, between, and connecting the islands, regardless of their breadth, are considered internal waters.

Key Concepts

• Territorial Sea: The belt of sea extending 12 nautical miles from the baselines or low-water line.
• Contiguous Zone: A zone extending up to 24 nautical miles from the baselines, where the Philippines can enforce laws related to customs, fiscal, immigration, or sanitation.
• Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ): An area extending up to 200 nautical miles from the baselines, where the Philippines has exclusive rights for fishing, drilling, and other economic activities.

Declaration of Principles and State Policies

• The State values the dignity of every human person and guarantees full respect for human rights. (Article II, Section 11)
• The State promotes social justice in all phases of national development. (Article II, Section 10)
• The State recognizes the sanctity of family life and protects the family as a basic social institution. (Article II, Section 12)
• The State pursues an independent foreign policy prioritizing national sovereignty, territorial integrity, national interest, and right to self-determination. (Article II, Section 7)

Bill of Rights

• No law shall be made respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof. (Article III, Section 5)
• The right to travel is not absolute but may be impaired in the interest of national security, public safety, or public health. (Article III, Section 6)
• The privacy of communication and correspondence is inviolable unless a lawful court order is issued or public safety demands otherwise. (Article III, Section 3)
• The right of the people to information on matters of public concern shall be recognized. (Article III, Section 7)
• No person shall be imprisoned for debt or non-payment of a poll tax. (Article III, Section 20)

Citizenship

• Nationality refers to an individual's membership with a state, while citizenship refers to the political status recognizing a person as a citizen of a country.
• Natural-born citizens are those who are citizens from birth without any action needed to acquire citizenship.
• Philippine citizenship can be lost through voluntary expatriation or involuntarily by actions like being an official deserter of the AFP during war.
• Lost Philippine citizenship can be reacquired through naturalization, repatriation, or direct act of Congress.
• Dual allegiance, where a citizen owes loyalty to two countries, is considered inimical to the national interest.

Local Government

• The Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) is responsible for promoting peace and order, ensuring public safety, and strengthening the capability of local government units to deliver basic services.

Test your knowledge about the national territory of the Philippines, including its boundaries, internal waters, and exclusive economic zone. Explore concepts such as territorial sea and the Spratly Islands as part of Philippine sovereignty. This quiz will cover key principles and policies related to the country's territorial governance.