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UN to extend boundary in WPS
By J.Lo
“Seabed and subsoil extending from our archipelago up maximum extent allowed by UNCLOS hold significant potential resources that will benefit our nation and our people for generations to come…today we secure our future by making manifestation of our exclusive right to explore and exploit natural resources in our ECS entitlement,” Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Assistant Secretary for Maritime and Ocean Affairs Marshall Louis Alferez said Philippines has officially submitted information to United Nations claiming and declaring country’s entitlement to extended continental shelf (ECS) in West Philippine Sea (WPS).
Through Philippine Mission to UN in New York, information was submitted before UN Commission on Limits of Continental Shelf (CLCS) to register country’s entitlement to ECS in West Palawan Region.
DFA explained that under Article 76 of UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), coastal state such ase Philippines is entitled to establish outer limits of its continental shelf.
This comprises seabed and subsoil of submarine areas extending beyond 200 nautical miles but not to exceed 350 NM from baselines from which breadth of territorial sea is measured.
National Mapping and Resource Information Agency (NAMRIA) led Extended Continental Shelf Technical Working Group (ECS-TWG) worked on submission for over 15 years.
Submission is declaration not only of Philippines’ maritime entitlements under UNCLOS but also of country’s commitment to responsible application of its processes, according to Alferez.
He underscored significance of submission in securing Philippines’ sovereign rights and maritime jurisdictions in WPS, noting 2016 Award on South China Sea Arbitration confirmed Philippines’ maritime entitlements and rejected those exceeded geographic and substantive limits under UNCLOS.
He stressed Philippine submission does not prejudice discussions with relevant coastal states that may have legitimate ECS claims measured from their respective lawful baselines under UNCLOS.
“What is important is Philippines puts on record maximum extent of our entitlement,” Alferez clarified.
DFA said this is second time Philippines has made submission on ECS entitlement. In April 2009, Philippines made partial submission on Philippine Rise, which CLCS validated in 2012, resulting in additional 135,506 square kilometers of seabed area for the Philippines.
In that submission, Philippines stated that it reserved right to make submissions in other areas in the future.
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