THE House Committee on Environment and Natural Resources on Wednesday approved a substitute bill declaring a portion of the Philippine Rise —also known as the Benham Rise within the country’s exclusive economic zone—as a marine resource reserve.
The committee, chaired by Dasmariñas Rep. Elpidio Barzaga Jr., approved the unnumbered substitute bill to House Bill 36 filed by Muntinlupa Rep. Ruffy Biazon.
The bill was approved despite the opposition of Senior Deputy Speaker Lito Atienza of Buhay partylist.
According to Atienza, the measure will only limit the country’s claim to the Philippine Rise, adding “this is not the time to limit ourselves to a small area.”
“Pag tayo pa ang gumawa ng batas na nililimitahan natin ang ating interes, eh parang pinahihina pa natin ang posisyon ng Pilipinas sa darating na panahon [If we ourselves craft a law limiting our own interest, it’s as if we are weakening the Philippine position sometime in the future],” Atienza told the committee.
It was during Atienza’s stint as secretary of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources that the Philippine government submitted to the United Nations its declaration including Benham Rise as part of its continental shelf.
For his part, Biazon said experts recommended declaring a portion of the Philippine Rise as protected, with the category of marine resource reserve under the National Integrated Protected Areas System (Nipas), “for us to take advantage of the natural resources therein.”
Also, Barzaga said the technical working group of his committee had crafted the proposal carefully after several discussions.
Moreover, Biazon said his proposal seeks to declare Philippine Rise as a protected area and at the same time establish mechanisms that would ensure that measures towards this objective are enforced and implemented.
Benham Plateau or the Benham Rise, was officially renamed Philippine Rise by virtue of Executive Order No. 25 (Series of 2017) signed by President Duterte on May 16, 2017.
It is a 24-million hectare undersea region east of Luzon and is 35 meters underwater at its shallowest point off the provinces of Aurora and Isabela. The area is solely claimed, as part of its continental shelf, by the Republic of the Philippines, which was confirmed by the United Nations Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf on April 12, 2012.
Under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (Unclos), a coastal state’s exclusive economic zone extends 370 kilometers (200 nautical miles) from its continental shelf, while its extended continental shelf extends for another 278 kilometers (150 nautical miles). The UN now recognizes the Philippines’s claim and the country’s territory has increased to 43 million hectares from 30 million hectares.
“It is now common knowledge that ancient reefs are in trouble. From Australia to Hawaii, they are succumbing to pollution, destructive fishing, and the effects of climate change. Things are especially dire in the Philippines where some of our reefs have been damaged and some continue to deteriorate due to the wanton behavior of some unscrupulous individuals and companies,” Biazon said.
The lawmaker, citing marine conservationists and experts in the field of marine biology and biodiversity, said Philippine Rise is a rare exception.
“Its reefs have dodged fishing pressure and pollution because these are so far offshore. It is virtually untouched and undisturbed by human presence. The same experts say that to find a reef this healthy and intact is indeed very special,” he said.
“However, special does not mean protected. Philippine Rise has yet to be given legal protection. It is vulnerable to the same pressures that have devastated other reefs worldwide. This is why scientists are racing to study the said area while it remains intact and pristine. Without legal protection, this unique place screams with an open invitation to be exploited, destroyed and ultimately be lost forever. Clearly, there is a very urgent need to enact a law that would protect Philippine Rise,” Biazon added.
Image courtesy of M-NAV Solutions Inc.