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PHILIPPINE
RISE
FAST FACTS
1. where is the philippine rise?
0m
The Philippine Rise, previously known as the Benham Benham Bank
Rise, is a natural submarine prolongation of the Luzon 48–70 m
500 m below sea level
Island extending up to 318 nautical miles (589 kilometers),
from the Eastern Philippine Seaboard facing the Pacific
1,000 m
Ocean. The Philippine Rise Region is comprised of the
200-nautical-mile continental shelf from the baselines
1,500 m
of Luzon and the extension of the seabed and subsoil
approximately up to 118 nautical miles beyond the
2,000 m
legal continental shelf limits. In particular, it consists of
a plateau and the Molave and Narra Spurs and Saddles
2,500 m
in the east and northeast. It is docked to Luzon through
the Palanan Saddle in the northwest and the Bicol Burj Khalifa
3,000 m
Saddle in the southwest, and moves with it as a single 828 m
unit. The Philippine Rise is geomorphologically distinct Philippine Rise
3,500 m 3,000–3,500 m
from the deep ocean floor and forms a thick crust lying at below sea level
about 3,000–3,500 meters below sea level, except for the
Benham Bank, its shallowest point, which towers up to The world's tallest building, the Burj Khalifa, scaled for
48–70 meters below sea level. illustration purposes against the Philippine Rise and the
Benham Bank.
Legend
200 NM legal continental shelf
DENR-NAMRIA Extended continental shelf
The Benham Rise was named after American geologist Order No. 25 renaming the Benham Rise to Philippine
Andrew Benham who surveyed the area in the 1930s. On Rise.
16 May 2017, President Rodrigo Duterte signed Executive
The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea On 8 April 2009, the Philippines submitted to the
(UNCLOS) is considered the constitution for the world’s CLCS its claim for an extended continental shelf in
oceans. Under Article 76 of UNCLOS, coastal states have the Philippine Rise Region. The Philippines presented
a legal continental shelf of up to 200 nautical miles from scientific and technical evidence such as geodetic,
the baselines. The prolongation of the continental margin bathymetric, geophysical, and geological data from
may extend beyond 200 nautical miles but not exceeding national government agencies and international sources
350 nautical miles from the baselines. The claim for an to support its claim. On 12 April 2009, after a series of
extended continental shelf must be submitted to the intensive deliberations, the CLCS adopted by consensus
UN Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf the recommendations of its sub-commission with regard
(CLCS). to the Philippines’ submission on the Philippine Rise
Region.
In the area of the Philippine Rise within the 200 -nautical- a. exploring and exploiting living and non-living
mile exclusive economic zone (EEZ) and continental shelf resources;
(CS), the Philippines has sovereign rights and jurisdiction b. the establishment and use of artificial islands,
on both the water column and the seabed and subsoil installations, and structures;
with regard to, among others: c. marine scientific research; and
■ All States have the freedoms of navigation, overflight, and laying of ■ All States have the freedoms of navigation,
submarine cables and pipelines. overflight, laying of submarine cables, fishing,
The Philippines has sovereign rights and jurisdiction to, among and scientific research, among others.
others, explore and exploit living and non-living resources, construct
artificial structures, conduct marine scientific research, and protect
Archipelagic the marine environment.
Baseline
12 NM 24 NM 200 NM
Contiguous Zone
Benham Bank
■ All States have a right to lay submarine cables and pipelines. ■ The Area and its
resources are the
The Philippines has sovereign rights and jursdiction to, among others, explore and exploit sedentary
“common heritage
species, mineral and other non-living resources, and authorize drillings for all purposes.
of mankind.”
RE FE R EN C ES
United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (1982). Commodore Eduardo E. Gongona, PCG (Ret.), Director of the Bureau
“Benham Rise,” last updated 16 March 2017. Available from www. of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, “Benham Rise fisheries,”
benhamrise.com. presentation during the Forum on the Benham Rise: Opportunities
National Mapping and Resource Information Authority (NAMRIA), “CLCS and Challenges, Pasay City, 31 March 2017.
approves PH ECS submission in the Benham Rise Region,” press Raymundo B. Savella, Vice President for Upstream Operations of
release, 6 July 2012. Available from http://namria.gov.ph/Downloads/ the Philippine National Oil Company Exploration Corporation,
Publications/NewsScoop/2012Jul25.pdf. “Hydrocarbon potential of the Benham Rise,” presentation during the
Forum on the Benham Rise: Opportunities and Challenges, Pasay City,
31 March 2017.
Foreign Service Institute – Center for International Relations and Strategic Studies
5/F Department of Foreign Affairs Bldg., 2330 Roxas Blvd., Pasay City 1300, Philippines
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