UP IMLOS - Institute for Maritime Affairs and Law of the Sea

22/02/2026

The introduction to our short video about the value of our sea regions.

22/02/2026

| This is why our seas are so important.

21/02/2026

LOOK: UP IMLOS Director Jay L. Batongbacal will serve as a keynote speaker at the conference 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗛𝗼𝗿𝗶𝘇𝗼𝗻𝘀: 𝗙𝗹𝗼𝘄𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗘𝗻𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗣𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗽𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗕𝗼𝗿𝗱𝗲𝗿𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗱𝘀.

📅 26 February 2026 | 9:00 AM PHT
📍 GT-Toyota Auditorium, UP Asian Center
🔗 Register now: bit.ly/acphborderlands

15/02/2026

| Kinakailangan bang magsumite ang isang bansa ng mapa sa United Nations upang magkaroon ng teritoryong lupa? Kailangan bang aprubahan ng International Hydrographic Organization ang mga hangganang pandagat ng isang bansa?

PANOORIN: Sa video explainer na ito, pinapabulaanan namin ang ilang malawak na kumakalat na maling paniniwala tungkol sa teritoryong lupa at maritime zones.

Likha ni Propesor Jay L. Batongbacal, MMM, JSD/Direktor, UP IMLOS

15/02/2026

| Is a country required to submit a map to the UN to acquire land territory? Are maritime borders subject to the approval of the International Hydrographic Organization?

WATCH: In this video explainer, we debunk some widely circulating myths about land territory and maritime zones.

Content by Professor Jay L. Batongbacal, MMM, JSD/UP IMLOS Director

11/02/2026

| For the first time in over a decade, a new natural gas field was discovered at Malampaya East-1 (ME-1) off the coast of Palawan in January 2026. ME-1 is estimated to contain around 98 billion cubic feet of natural gas, reinforcing Malampaya as the only indigenous gas source in the Philippines. This discovery is expected to strengthen the country’s energy supply and reduce dependency on imported sources.

The ME-1 gas field is located on the Philippines’ continental shelf northwest of the island of Palawan. Although Chinese encroachments further offshore of Palawan have been rising and the presence of Chinese Coast Guard ships closer to the gas field has been monitored, the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) is clear that it is the coastal state that exercises sovereign rights over the continental shelf for the purpose of exploring it and exploiting its natural resources. Therefore, the Philippines possesses the sole sovereign right in exploring and utilizing gas reservoirs located in its continental shelf, such as ME-1. With the new discovery, the Armed Forces of the Philippines has intensified its patrols to secure the Malampaya gas fields.

This one discovery is estimated to have the capacity to power 8 million households. It already significantly impacts our energy sector and our overall economic development, as do the abundant resources in the West Philippine Sea. This sheds light on the importance of defending our sovereign rights, for we can only reap from what we have, and we can only have what we protect.

References:
· https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/2172781/afp-steps-up-malampaya-patrols-after-new-gas-find
· Article 77, UNCLOS (1982)
· https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/business/2026/1/19/-historic-malampaya-gas-find-could-help-lower-power-costs-doe-0941

10/02/2026

BIRTHDAY GREETINGS | Happy birthday to our esteemed director, Dr. Jay L. Batongbacal!

Today, the UP Institute for Maritime Affairs and Law of the Sea celebrates your steadfast leadership and commitment to advancing Philippine maritime law and policy. Through your scholarship and public service, you have continued to shape critical conversations on sovereignty, governance, and our nation’s role in the law of the sea.

At UP IMLOS, your work is a constant reminder that the law of the sea is not merely about boundaries and rules, but about sovereignty, stewardship, and service to all Filipinos. We are grateful for your steady leadership and the standard of excellence you set for all of us.

Fair winds and following seas, Captain! 🌊

10/02/2026

WATCH: UP Institute for Maritime Affairs and Law of the Sea Director Jay Batongbacal asserts that the country's sovereignty rights and jurisdiction are not up for debate in a radio interview today, Feb. 10.

03/02/2026

READ: UP IMLOS researchers co-author chapter in Sulu monograph

In their article entitled “The Text and Context of Province of Sulu v. Medialdea,” legal officer Neil Silva and research assistant Nicolas Antonio unpacked the legal and historical dynamics undergirding Sulu’s governance pathways both within and beyond the Bangsamoro framework.

ACCESS THE PUBLICATION HERE:https://cids.up.edu.ph/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Lupa-Sug-and-the-Path-of-Ahlus-s-Suluk-Monograph_compressed-1.pdf

🗺️ LUPA SUG: NAVIGATING HISTORY, POWER & THE PATH TO PEACE 🌊

What does the future hold for the "Land of the Brave"? 🇵🇭✨

UP CIDS is honored to release the landmark monograph: "Lupa' Sug and the Path of Ahlus s-Suluk: Selected Essays from the International Conference on Sulu History and Power."

This publication is the cornerstone of The Sulu Project 2025, a historic collaboration between the University of the Philippines, Mindanao State University-Sulu, and the Province of Sulu. It brings together scholars, leaders, and citizens to discuss the critical turning point in Sulu's relationship with the nation-state following the landmark 2024 Supreme Court decision.

🔍 INSIDE THE MONOGRAPH:

History & Culture: Explore the deep roots of Ahalus Sülük (Sulu spirituality) and the influence of Sulu power across the Philippines.

Peace & Security: Dive into the "long durée" of conflict and peace with insights from Amina Rasul-Bernardo and Georgi Engelbrecht.

Economy & Development: Understand the spatial growth of Sulu and the paradoxes of peace in the Sulu Sea.

Nationhood & Identity: A legal and political analysis of the Tau Sug people's right to self-determination and the context of Province of Sulu v. Medialdea.

"The conversation... was a learning moment for many of us... on competing perspectives about Sulu’s political and economic challenges and prospects." — Dr. Rosalie Arcala Hall, Executive Director, UP CIDS

This monograph is more than a collection of essays—it is a testament to the resilience of the people of Sulu and a roadmap for a self-determined and prosperous future. ✊🏽📖

📥 Download your FREE open-access copy today: https://cids.up.edu.ph/download/lupa-sug-path-ahlus-s-suluk/

27/01/2026

LOOK: UP IMLOS director unpacks Philippine Maritime Zones Act in podcast

DILIMAN, QUEZON CITY – In an episode of the Katipunan Dialogue Podcast, UP Institute for Maritime Affairs and Law of the Sea Director Jay Batongbacal unpacked the Philippine Maritime Zones Act, the law that declares the country’s maritime zones and boundaries and defines the geographical extent of the Philippines’ maritime domain in accordance with the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

07/01/2026

The Institute for Maritime Affairs and Law of the Sea is immensely proud of our former research assistants Samantha Valerie Morales and Ric Duane Chavez for conquering the 2025 Bar Examinations.

The changing tides and currents have led you towards the path of greatness. May the wind forever be behind you and push you to even greater distances.

07/01/2026

The University of the Philippines Law Center, through the Institute for the Administration of Justice, is pleased to announce the run of a Mandatory Continuing Legal Education Hybrid Program for the period of 26–30 January 2026. Interested participants may register thru https://mcle.law.upd.edu.ph/seminars