AMONG the great triumphs of Philippine diplomacy has been the recognition of  the archipelagic  doctrine by the  United Nations Convention on the Law of the Seas (UNCLOS). Obtained not without strong opposition from major maritime countries, its recognition is of the most vital interest to the Filipino nation, its signal importance obvious from the explanation of the archipelagic doctrine in the simple, resounding words of the leader of the Philippine delegation to the International Convention on the Law of the Sea of 1958, former Sen. Arturo Tolentino:

“To apply the 3-mile rule to the Philippines, with every island having its own territorial sea, would have a fatal effect upon the territorial integrity of the Philippines. It would mean the dismemberment of the Philippine archipelago with the Sibuyan sea separating the Visayas and the Mindanao Strait and the Sulu Sea isolating Palawan from the rest of the archipelago. These and other areas of waters would cease to be Philippine waters; they would become international waters or high seas…”