Comprehend the history how the Philippines exercised sovereign rights over our territories

Under the international law, the Philippines can exercise sovereign rights over our territories. However,
how does our history tells about it?

Belonging to the first part of our history, the Spanish has the title over the Philippine Archipelago. It was
when Ferdinand Magellan, a Portuguese sailing the flag of the Spanish arrived at the Philippines and
claimed it for Spain. Then the first permanent Spanish settlement was established by Miguel Lopez de
Legazpi in 1965, naming the new colony “Filipinas”. For over three centuries then, the Philippines
remained a crowned colony of Spain. Not later on, but prior to the cession, the Philippines had already
proclaimed independence from Spain on June 12, 1898. Moreover, the Americans also claim title over
the Philippine archipelago after the Spanish-American war that enables the cession. Yet, the validity of
the title that the American was holding isn’t that strong.

The Philippines then claimed its territorial boundaries or the “Philippine Treaty Limits” on the basis of
three treaties: The Philippine National Territory, the Cession Treaty of 1900, and the Boundaries Treaty
of 1930. The Philippine Treaty Limits breach the twelve-mile breadth of the territorial sea provided for
the Law of the Sea Convention. However, according to jurist Miriam Defensor-Santiago, the Philippines'
claim to ancient title rights to its marine and coastal areas and territorial borders are formed by a variety
of factors. Those factors are confusing and claiming low validity.

Hence, that was part of the history. The Philippines still proves its claim to the Treaty Limits under the
international law. In this present time, The Philippines is already exercising sovereign rights, not
sovereignty, over its territories under the international law, including the West Philippine Sea.

Under international law, the Philippines can exercise sovereign rights over our territories. However, how
does our history tell about it?

Belonging to the first part of our history, the Spanish has the title over the Philippine Archipelago. It was
when Ferdinand Magellan, a Portuguese sailing the flag of the Spanish arrived in the Philippines and
claimed it for Spain. Then the first permanent Spanish settlement was established by Miguel Lopez de
Legazpi in 1965, naming the new colony “Filipinas”. For over three centuries then, the Philippines
remained a crowned colony of Spain. Not later on, but prior to the cession, the Philippines had already
proclaimed independence from Spain on June 12, 1898. Moreover, the Americans also claim title over
the Philippine archipelago after the Spanish-American war that enables the cession. Yet, the validity of
the title that the American was holding isn’t that strong.

The Philippines then claimed its territorial boundaries or the “Philippine Treaty Limits” based on three
treaties: The Philippine National Territory, the Cession Treaty of 1900, and the Boundaries Treaty of
1930. The Philippine Treaty Limits breach the twelve-mile breadth of the territorial sea provided for the
Law of the Sea Convention. However, according to jurist Miriam Defensor-Santiago, the Philippines'
claim to ancient title rights to its marine and coastal areas and territorial borders are formed by a variety
of factors. Those factors are confusing and claim low validity.

Hence, that was part of history. The Philippines still proves its claim to the Treaty Limits under
international law. In this present time, The Philippines is already exercising sovereign rights, not
sovereignty, over its territories under international law, including the West Philippine Sea.