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I
NATIONAL
TERRITORY
Section 1, Article 1
of the 1987 Constitution
The national territory comprises the Philippine
archipelago, with all the islands and waters embraced
therein, and all other territories over which the
Philippines has sovereignty or jurisdiction, consisting of
its terrestrial, fluvial and aerial domains, including its
territorial sea, the seabed, the subsoil, the insular
shelves, and other submarine areas. The waters around,
between, and connecting the islands of the archipelago,
regardless of their breadth and dimensions, form part of
internal waters of the Philippines.
Necessity of constitutional
provision on National Territory
1. Binding force of such provision under international law.
A state has the power to try, hear and decide
cases throughout the extent of its territory.
If there is a territorial dispute it should be
settled according to the international law.