ADRi weighs in on House bill on Kalayaan Group of Islands

THE STRATBASE Albert Del Rosario Institute (ADRi) welcomed the passage in committee level of a House bill (HB) which seeks to declare the Kalayaan Island Group as alienable and disposable land.

“As long as said proposed declaration of Kalayaan Island Group as an alienable land is not in conflict with and is in consonance with the PCA (Permanent Court of Arbitration) ruling, there appears to be no basis at this moment, to make or interpose any objections to such proposed legislation,” Stratbase ADRi President Victor Andres C. Manhit said in an e-mail to BusinessWorld, referring to the 2016 Hague arbitral court ruling favoring the Philippines in its maritime dispute with China.

Then foreign affairs secretary Albert F. del Rosario, chairman of the board of ADRi, formed part of the Philippine team that challenged the claims of China over the disputed South China Sea.

“ADR Institute has always advocated for the observance of a rules- based order and consequently, the faithful enforcement of the PCA Ruling on the case between China and Philippines, which made mention of Kalayaan Island Group,” Mr. Manhit said.

HB 5614, authored by House Speaker Pantaleon D. Alvarez and Majority Floor Leader Rodolfo C. Fariñas, seeks to declare Kalayaan Island Group as alienable and disposable land “for agricultural, residential, commercial and other productive purposes.”

Kalayaan Island Group was declared as part of a municipality under the province of Palawan in 1978 under the Presidential Decree No. 1596 issued during the Marcos regime.