national territory
TRANSCRIPT
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.