Navy personnel show members of media the fiberglass-encased flag that will be planted 57 meters underwater of the Philippine Rise in the Philippine Sea on Independence Day, June 12, 2017. INQUIRER.NET / FRANCES MANGOSING
PHILIPPINE RISE – Manila asserted its sovereign rights over the Philippine Rise (formerly Benham Rise) on Independence Day, June 12, 2017, by planting a flag on the underwater land feature.
Military and technical divers aboard the Navy’s newest ship, the BRP Davao del Sur (LD-602), set the flag on a concrete base 57 meters below the water surface.
“As we hoisted the Philippine flag underwater on the Philippine Rise, we also raised the flag above deck of the Navy’s biggest and newest ship, BRP Davao del Sur,” said Northern Luzon Command chief Lt. Gen. Romeo Tanalgo in a speech.
“We gather from all walks of life to put up the most powerful symbol, driven by passion of our collective cause, to re-echo our sovereignty over the Philippine rise,” he added.
The Coast Guard, Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, and civilian volunteers participated in the flag planting.
Guests of honor were Aurora Rep. Bellaflor Amhara-Castillo and Pangasinan Rep. Leopoldo Bataoil.
The flag, which is the standard size of 3 x 4 1/2 feet, is made of fiber glass to withstand damage by salt water. The pole, made of stainless steel, is 14 meters tall.
“This underwater marker serves as a symbol of Philippine sovereign rights over the Philippine Rise, which shall forever be under the vigilant watch of the Filipino people,” the marker of the concrete base read, which measures 8 x 8 ft. x 8 inches.
Major Christopher Constantino, a Scout Ranger and a member of the Presidential Security Group, served as one of the lead divers.
He said despite some glitches, they were able to plant the flag underwater in about 19 minutes in total.
“Even underwater, it’s the Ranger who leads the way,” he said in jest as he referred to their elite unit’s mantra.
The divers faced strong currents which made the flag raising underwater a challenge.
“It’s not easy but it is our mission to raise the flag and we did it,” said Lt. Cmdr. Kiram Sadava, overall dive director of the underwater activity.
The underwater flagraising activity took place in one of the shallowest parts of the Philippine Rise, located 140 nautical miles east of Casiguran, Aurora Province.
The United Nations granted the Philippines’ claim to the Philippine Rise as an extension of the country’s continental shelf in 2012. The undersea region and biodiversity hotspot located east of Luzon in the Pacific Ocean.
The 13-million hectare undersea plateau is part of the country’s exclusive economic zone and is not part of China’s nine-dash-line claim in the South China Sea.
Chinese survey ships were spotted in the area of Philippine Rise for about three months late last year.
This prompted President Rodrigo Duterte to rename Benham Rise to Philippine Rise, by signing Executive Order No. 25 last May 16.
On June 15, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana is scheduled to attend a flag-raising ceremony aboard BRP Davao del Sur, as it sails through the Philippine Rise. CBB/rga