PROTECTING PHILIPPINE RISE. AFP chief-of-staff, Gen. Felimon Santos Jr. (2nd from right) leads the send-off for the Philippine Navy’s maritime vessel BRP Quezon (PS-70) and the Naval Task Unit 11.6.1. in Sta. Ana, Cagayan on Wednesday (June 10, 2020). The contingent is tasked to navigate and safeguard the areas of the Philippine Rise (formerly Benham Rise). (Photo courtesy of AFP Public Affairs Office)
MANILA – The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) on Wednesday said it will continue to uphold the protection and conservation of the Philippine Rise.
“We are celebrating the fourth anniversary of the Philippine Rise and for the years that our dedicated soldiers have continued to protect one of the country’s most precious maritime areas. We commemorate this anniversary to raise awareness of its importance, to maintain marine conservation and protection, and to assert our sovereign rights,” said AFP chief-of-staff Gen. Felimon Santos in his speech during the event commemorating the fourth anniversary of the maritime area in Sta. Ana, Cagayan.
In line with this, Santos also presided the send-off ceremony for the Philippine Navy’s maritime vessel BRP Quezon (PS-70) and the Naval Task Unit 11.6.1.
The contingent led by Commander Junmar Sales is tasked to navigate and safeguard the areas of the Philippine Rise.
“With confidence and pride, we are also sending-off a maritime patrol vessel to navigate and safeguard these areas of the Philippine Rise. As a pioneer in maritime protection, the Armed Forces is certain that Northern Luzon Command (Nolcom) will vigorously pursue all possible means to strengthen the protection of the area/in order to achieve their purpose of securing our State and protecting our people,” Santos said.
In previous anniversaries the AFP, through the Nolcom, successfully achieved historical milestones to assert that the maritime feature belongs to the Philippines.
An all-Filipino maritime scientific research was made possible in 2019 while an underwater flag was successfully placed on the plateau in 2017 and 2018.
The Philippine Rise (formerly Benham Rise) region, comprising the 200-nautical-mile continental shelf from the baselines of Luzon, extends 118 nautical miles beyond the legal continental shelf limits.
On May 16, 2017, Duterte signed Executive Order (EO) No. 25 changing the name of the undersea feature to Philippine Rise.
“The Benham Rise Region is subject to sovereign rights and jurisdiction of the Philippines pursuant to relevant provisions of the 1987 Philippine Constitution, national legislation, and the UNCLOS (United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea) and applicable international law,” the EO read.
In 2012, the United Nations, through recommendations of the Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf, approved the Philippines’ claim that the Philippine Rise is within the country’s 200-nautical-mile exclusive economic zone.
The Philippines first sought recognition for its claims to the maritime area on April 8, 2009. (PNA)
