Philippine Rise

formerly known as
“Benham Rise”
Philippine Rise
• Benham Rise was renamed as Philippine Rise by virtue
of Executive Order (EO) No. 25. Changing the Name of
“Benham Rise” to “Philippine Rise” signed by President
Rodrigo Duterte on May 16, 2017. Accordingly, all official
maps and charts of the Philippines will use the name
Philippine Rise to refer to the 13-million-hectare
underwater plateau located near Aurora.
April 8, 2001, in compliance with the requirements of
UNCLOS, the Philippines lodged a partial territorial claim
on the vast, largely unexplored territory with the UN
Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf
(UNCLCS)

In April 2009, the Philippines went further by lodging a full

territorial claim that Benham Rise was part of its continental
shelf and territory.
The Philippine claim was embodied in Republic Act No.
9522 or the Archipelagic Baselines Law.

The UN, through UNCLOS, finally recognized and officially

approved the Philippine claim on the territory on April 12,
2012.
Timeline of claim on Benham Rise
2001:
Benham Rise is proposed 2009:
as a possible extended The Philippines files its
continental shelof the claim to the territory before
Philippines the UN Commission on the
Limits of the Continental
Shelf (CLCS) in New York.
1 2
2011:
•A CLCS Subcomission
commences the validation
of the claim but points out
another method to draw the
border, resulting in a larger
claimed area than what the
Philippines had initially
3 4
submitted.
2012:
The CLCS approves the
claim, confirming the
landmass as part of the
Philippines’ continental
shelf and expanding our
territory by 13 million
hectares
Difference of Sovereignty and
Sovereign Rights

In an EEZ, which are much

further out to sea, “no longer
Bestows full rights, or
concerns all of [a state’s]
supreme authority, on a
activities, but only some of
country within its territorial
them”, according to UNCLOS.
waters, which stretch to 12
It would include the exploration
nautical miles
and exploitation of its undersea
natural resources.
UNCLOS, Article 77,
Rights of the coastal State over the
continental shelf
1. The coastal State exercises over the continental shelf
sovereign rights for the purpose of exploring it and
exploiting its natural resources.
2. The rights referred to in paragraph 1 are exclusive in the
sense that if the coastal State does not explore the
continental shelf or exploit its natural resources, no one
may undertake these activities without the express consent
of the coastal State.
3. The rights of the coastal State over the continental shelf
do not depend on occupation, effective or notional, or on
any express proclamation.
4. The natural resources referred to in this Part consist of
the mineral and other non-living resources of the seabed
and subsoil together with living organisms belonging to
sedentary species, that is to say, organisms which, at the
harvestable stage, either are immobile on or under the
seabed or are unable to move except in constant physical
contact with the seabed or the subsoil
• Limits of the Continental Shelf on April 12, 2012. Under
the 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 km (150 nautical miles). The UN
now recognizes the Philippines’ claim and the country’s
territory has increase to 43 million hectares from 30
million hectares.
Thank you!