National territory

National Territory

As embodied in the Constitution, the

Philippine national territory embraces LAND,

WATER, and AERIAL DOMAINS.

In view of the series of land claims on the cluster of

islands in the South China Sea by neighboring Asian

countries such as Vietnam, China, Taiwan, Malaysia, and the Philippines, the concept

national territory has become a crucial issue.

The Philippine lawmakers, for one,

rallied on the specific definitions of the

country’s territorial rights.

As a consequence, the Philippine area of

jurisdiction has been increased with the

government’s territorial claim to the Kalayaan

(Spratly) Islands, considered part of

Palawan.

This is based in the archipelago doctrine that draws straight baselines

joining the outermost islands of the archipelago.

Archipelago DoctrineOThe proponent was Arturo M. Tolentino, a Filipino lawmaker, and it won general acceptance from other nations through the 1982 treaty (United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea).

On the country’s territorial waters, the

traditional belt of safety around the country has been

widened from 3 miles to 12 miles.

TOPOGRAPHY

the study and mapping of the features on the surface of land, including natural

features such as mountains and rivers and constructed features such as highways

and railroads

Topographically, the Philippines is a land of rugged physical

features. Its terrain is a combination of a series of

mountain ranges, hills, volcanoes, plains, and waterfalls.

The country’s landforms are interspersed with rivers, bays,

and an extensive coastline. Along its seacoasts are numerous bays,

harbors, and gulfs.

A. Landforms

Luzon has the longest continuous ranges in the Philippines. It has 3 large

mountain ranges:a) Caraballo del Sur

b) Caraballos Occidentalesc) Sierra Madre

a) Caraballo del Sur

Has its highest peak in the borders of Abra,

Ilocos Norte, and Cagayan

b) Caraballos Occidentales

Split into the Cordillera Norte and Cordillera

Central and traverse the region west of the

Cagayan River

c) Sierra Madre

Also known as Pacific Coast Range, Sierra Madre

crosses the island from Baler, Aurora to Isabela,

Nueva Vizcaya, and Cagayan.

The four distinct ranges of Mindanao:

a) Surigaob) Butuan

c) Central Western Range

d) Western Range

a) Surigao Range: traverse the contours of the Pacific

Coast

a) Butuan Range: extends to the south and forms the watershed of the Agusan

River (E) and Pulangui River (W)

c) Central Western Range: Mt. Apo is the highest of the

central western ranges. It is the highest point in the Philippines

(9,692 ft)

d) Western Range: originates west of Iligan Bay and ends

on the shore of Basilan Strait

Mountain range in the Visayas:

a) Negros Rangeb) Panay Island

(separates Iloilo, Capiz, and Aklan)

VOLCANOES

a) Iraya in Batanes Island

b) Taal in Batangas

Smallest in the World

c) Banahaw in Quezon Province

d) Mayon in Albay, Bicol

Most active and known as the country’s most perfectly cone-shaped

volcano.

e) Makaturing in Lanao

f) Apo in Davao

g) Hibok-Hibok in Camiguin

h) Pinatubo in Zambales

i) Mt. Pulag in Benguet

Luzon’s highest peak and the country’s second highest.