Environment Secretary Lito Atienza has defended the 2009 baselines bill that excludes the Kalayaan Island Group in the country's territorial boundaries in the Spratly islands.

Atienza said the bill, set to be approved by Congress next week, will spare the country from international conflict.

He said excluding the Kalayaan Islands Group in the country's baselines does not mean the Philippines is abandoning its right to the area since physical separation does not affect the sovereignty of states.

Aside from the Philippines, among those claiming the Spratly islands are China, Vietnam, Brunei, Malaysia, and Taiwan. -- report from ANC