Duterte declares Philippine Rise as marine protected area

Published: 4:34 p.m., March 15, 2018 | Updated: 9:34 p.m., March 15, 2018

ABOARD BRP DAVAO DEL SUR — President Rodrigo Duterte signed on Tuesday a presidential proclamation declaring parts of the Philippine Rise as a marine protected area during his visit to the resource-rich continental shelf.

Duterte signed the proclamation here during a send-off ceremony for 50 Filipino scientists bound to the Philippine Rise to conduct research there.

“Around 50,000 hectares of the Philippine Rise shall become a Strict Protection Zone limited to scientific studies – at this time only Filipinos,” he said in his speech.

“While more than 300,000 hectares shall be designated as a special fisheries management area.”

In 2012, the United Nations ruled that the Philippine Rise was part of the country’s exclusive economic zone, which gave the Philippines “sovereign rights” to explore and exploit the resources in the area.  /je /atm