Poe urges Filipino research in Benham, West Philippine Sea

Senator Grace Poe has filed a resolution urging research expeditions in the Philippine Rise (Benham Rise) and the other Philippine-claimed reefs in the West Philippine Sea to “obtain natural resources in the areas” and “strengthen the country’s claim in the territories.”

On Tuesday, Poe filed Senate Resolution No. 611 urging, in particular, the University of the Philippines Marine Science Institute (UP-MSI) and the Department of Science and Technology’s (DOST) Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development and the Philippine Council on Industry, Energy and Emerging Technologies Research and Development to initiate the research with government’s backing.

“If studies to be conducted by Filipino scientists would prove that Benham Rise and the West Philippine Sea are rich in mineral and oil deposits, it could turn the Philippines into a gas exporter and could reduce the dependence of the country on imported oil…,” the senator said in a statement.

“The Philippine government should strengthen its claim on the islands located off the West Philippine Sea and on the Benham Rise and not surrender its claim into the disputed areas,” she added.

Poe issued the statement days after an exclusive report by the Inquirer showed photos of China’s “almost finished transformation” of seven disputed reefs in the South China Sea into military fortresses.

Malacañang has downplayed the report as “not new.”

READ: EXCLUSIVE: New photos show China is nearly done with its militarization of South China Sea

“There have been increased interest by claimant countries—especially by China—on the islands covering the West Philippine Sea as these are said to have rich aquatic resources and mineral and gas deposits that remain largely untapped,” Poe added.
Poe became senator in 2013. China reportedly began building artificial islands in Philippine-claimed territories in the West Philippine Sea in early 2015.

Citing recent reports, Poe said there have been numerous incidents of poaching, patrolling, and “swarming presence” of Chinese ships in the Spratlys located off the West Philippine Sea.

The Philippines, Brunei, China, Malaysia, Taiwan and Vietnam have claims in the said region.

In July 2016, Poe noted an arbitral tribunal based in the Hague ruled in favor of the Philippines, and nullified China’s claims.

She said the ruling, however, did not deter China from its island-building program in Philippine territories.

Poe stressed that Filipinos should be given priority in research over the Benham Rise and called on the government to “obtain any data by foreign researchers who had conducted explorations in the areas.” /cbb