The decision of the Duterte government to allow Chinese scientists to do research in Benham Rise, renamed Philippine Rise, a 13-million-hectare undersea region off the provinces of Isabela and Aurora has generated heated discussions layered with patriotism, nationalism, ignorance, sinophobia – all combined.
In 2009, the United Nations Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf (CLCS) declared that Benham Rise is part of the Philippine’s extended continental shelf (350 nautical miles from the shores).
UNCLOS’s declaration gave the Philippines sovereign rights over the area but not sovereignty – the supreme right of the state to command obedience within the area.
As explained by Senior Associate Justice Antonio T. Carpio, the Philippine’s sovereign rights over Benham Rise includes “to explore and exploit the oil, gas and other mineral resources in Benham Rise, and even the sedentary species (e.g., abalone, clams and oysters.”
Carpio also said, “Other states, like China, have the right to conduct in Benham Rise (1) fishery research because the fish in the ECS belongs to mankind; (2) surveys on water salinity and water currents because the water column in the ECS belongs to mankind; and (3) depth soundings for navigational purposes because there is freedom of navigation in the ECS. If the Chinese vessels were looking for submarine passages and parking spaces, that would be part of freedom of navigation and the Philippines has no reason to complain.”
Amid the controversy, the University of the Philippines Marine Science Institute issued the following statement explaining the project they are doing with Chinese scientists. The statement is a bit long but I deemed it right to give to you in its entirety for us to better understand the project: