THE agreement clarifying the Philippine maritime boundary with Indonesia where their exclusive economic zones (EEZs) overlap is expected to take effect within the year, following a meeting between President Rodrigo R. Duterte and Indonesian President Joko Widodo Saturday.

The agreement, signed in May 2014, delimits the overlapping EEZs of both states. The Philippine Senate ratified the agreement on June 3.

“Both leaders look forward to the entry into force of the agreement within this year, upon the formal exchange of the instruments of ratification by their respective Foreign Ministers,” the Philippine and Indonesian governments said in a joint statement, released by the Department of Foreign Affairs Sunday.

The two Presidents met on the sidelines of the 34th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit in Bangkok.

The 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), to which both the Philippines and Indonesia are parties, entitles them to a 200 nautical-mile EEZ. The EEZs of the Philippines and Indonesia, however, overlap in the Mindanao and Celebes Seas and in the southern section of the Philippine Sea.

“The agreement provides legal certainty on the EEZ boundary between the two countries, promotes deeper cooperation in their respective maritime sectors and thus contributes to the prosperity and economic development of both countries and the larger region,” it added.

The President’s Spokesperson Salvador S. Panelo on Sunday said the agreement can serve as a model in addressing maritime concerns between states.

“The Palace views this legal instrument as a good precedent on how to address maritime concerns and settle disputes in accordance with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), bearing in mind the archipelagic nature of the Philippines which inherently shares common borders with many ASEAN member-states,” Mr. Panelo said in a statement.

“In line with the independent foreign policy course that PRRD (President Rodrigo R. Duterte) charted for our country — where we are friends to all and enemies to none — we hope that this accord would serve as a benchmark for future agreements with other countries with shared or similar concerns as we continue to deepen cooperation with our strategic allies in the region,’ Mr. Panelo also said. — Charmaine A. Tadalan

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR