1. DELINEATION OF THE PHILIPPINE Department of Energy, Philippines
CONTINENTAL SHELF
Jason Jude Villegas
Department of Energy, Philippines

2. OUTLINE
INTRODUCTION
II. ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE
III. DATA REQUIREMENTS
IV. CONSTRAINTS
V. CONCLUSION

3. INTRODUCTION
-enforcement of UNCLOS on 16 November 1994 gave
the Philippines ten years to gather evidence and
establish the scientific basis of delineating the
Philippine Continental Shelf
scientific evidence require proper documentation
-prohibitively expensive to run surveys
-committees are formed to address UNCLOS issues
-slow progress due to internal political and economic
constraints

4. ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE
Government Structure Related to Continental Shelf Issues
Cabinet Committee on Maritime and Ocean Affairs
(CABCOM-MOA)
-composed of Department Secretaries / Undersecretaries
of almost all of the major Departments of the
government bureaucracy
-main objective was to formulate policies and strategies
regarding maritime and ocean concerns in agreement
with the provisions of UNCLOS

5. CABCOM was supported by a Technical Committee on
Maritime and Ocean Affairs (TechCom-MOA)
-responsible for the research and technical work
-assist legislators in drafting bills/laws relevant to
maritime and ocean affairs
Both Committees were abolished in 2001
-all functions were transferred to the Department
of Foreign Affairs (DFA)
-expanded the functions and responsibilities of the
Maritime and Ocean Affairs Center (MOAC) of the DFA

6. Among the expanded function of DFA-MOAC is to
-undertake research,data gathering, information
acquisition, and preparation for any negotiation or
other modes of dispute settlement with other countries
in matters concerning the delineation/delimitation
of territorial and maritime boundaries, fisheries, energy
and mineral exploration, and exploitation in the ocean,
or other agreements relating to the conservation,
exploration, exploitation, protection, development, and/
or management of marine resources

7. Studies for the Delineation of the Outer Limits of the
Philippine Continental Shelf (PCS)
-a project organized by former TechCom-MOA members
to:
Facilitate the delineation, documentation and legitimi-
zation of the PCS.
2. Develop a core group of experts.
3. Put together the legal arguments and technical evidences
in forms that are acceptable.
4. Generate data and information about the resources in
the PCS.

8. The Project Team members are:
-Department of Energy (DOE)
-Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB)
-National Mapping and Resource Information Authority
(NAMRIA)
-University of the Philippines-National Institute of
Geological Sciences (UP-NIGS)
-University of the Philippines Law Center-Institute
of International Legal Studies (UPLC-IILS)
The project look forward to achieve objectives by 2004

9. Project Strategy
-create properly authorized group
-secure funding
-assess available/existing data
-secure, acquire, process and interpret existing data
-identification and delegation of specific tasks
-application of “appurtenance test”
-acquire/generate new and additional data
-prepare submission
-negotiate overlapping maritime boundaries
-information dissemination

10. Project Accomplishments
-conduct of briefings
-roundtable discussions
-regular-planning meetings
-signing of Memorandum of Agreement (MOA)
-initial inventory of existing data
The Project also initiated the proposal of creating a
National Committee on the Continental Shelf
-which shall be responsible for the delineation,
documentation, and legitimization of the Philippine claim

11. Proposed Committee Structure
Chair – Vice President
Vice Chair for Legal, Diplomatic, and Political Aspect –
Department of Foreign Affairs
Vice Chair for Scientific and Technical Aspect –
Department of Environment and Natural Resources
Members:
Department of Energy
Department of National Defense
National Security Council
Department of Science and Technology
University of the Philippines

12. The proposed National Committee will be supported by
A Technical Working Group (TWG)
-tasked to gather, generate, process, and assess
bathymetrical, geophysical, and geological data as
well as prepare the legal and political arguments.
-target for submission to UN-CLCS is 2007
However, the draft EO creating the National Committee
is yet to be signed by the President.

13. DATA REQUIREMENTS
Available Data
Data Gap
Information and Data Sharing, Storage, Security
And Confidentiality on the draft EO
-ensure effective exchange of data
-exclusivity and confidentiality of data among Committee
members, specifically to those persons actively involved
-use of other party require written permission
-DENR to be the final repository, but DOE, MGB,
NAMRIA, and UP-NIGS shall also maintain copies

15. CONSTRAINTS
-availability of funds
-scarcity of experts on the technical and scientific
guidelines
-data quality
-workstation requirements

16. In Conclusion
-Philippines is very serious in studying and delineating
its continental shelf
-concerned government agencies exerting efforts to
accomplish the task
-unfortunate that there are no funds available to
finance the task

17. SALAMAT !!