TOLENTINO FILES BILL CREATING GOV’T BODY TO DEVELOP TALAMPAS NG PILIPINAS

BUILDING on the country’s victory following the government’s submission of the map of the Talampas ng Pilipinas to the International Seabed Authority (ISA) last month, Senate Majority Leader Francis “Tol” Tolentino has filed a bill seeking to develop the resource-rich undersea landmass to drive national economic growth.

Under Senate Bill No. 2996, Tolentino targets the creation of a multi-agency development body that would secure and oversee the sustainable development of the 13.5-million hectare region, that has been ruled as part of the country’s continental shelf by the United Nations.

Straddling Luzon’s north-eastern seaboard, Tolentino hailed the Talampas ng Pilipinas (‘Talampas’) “as both a pillar of national sovereignty and a reservoir of untapped potential.”

“This maritime territory promises transformative opportunities, from renewable energy sources and marine biodiversity conservation to ecotourism development,” Tolentino stated in his bill’s explanatory note.

“This would catalyze inclusive economic growth, generate employment, and uplift communities nationwide,” he added.

By establishing the Talampas ng Pilipinas Development Authority (TPDA), the bill envisions a central body that would unify efforts and coordinate research to unlock the potential of the largely unexplored marine territory, while also ensuring its sustainable protection.

Tolentino’s bill enumerates the TPDA’s tasks as follows:

• Crafting a science-based holistic development framework aligned with national priorities;

• Coordinating government agencies, local governments, private enterprises, and civil society to optimize resource management and investment;

• Promoting public-private partnerships and innovation in renewable energy, blue economy initiatives, and ecotourism; and

• Safeguarding ecological balance through strict environmental protocols and marine biodiversity protection.

The agency will be steered by a board of directors headed by the secretary of the recently reconstituted Department of Economy Planning and Development (DEPDev).

To complement the TPDA, Tolentino has filed a separate bill, SB 2995, for the creation of the Talampas ng Pilipinas Oil Corporation, which would explore the region’s vast energy potential.

Tolentino is the principal author of the landmark Philippine Maritime Zones Act (RA 12064), which enshrined the Talampas and the West Philippine Sea under domestic law, in accordance with international law and principles.